There is a legend associated with Mikhail Dmitrievich’s youth that explains why he always rode to the battlefield on a white horse. According to it, during training he was sent to the shore of the Gulf of Finland to survey the area. One day he went into the forest and got stuck in a swamp. A local peasant hastened to Skobelev’s rescue. He brought a white nag to help Mikhail Dmitrievich get out of the trap. At that moment, Skobelev promised that in tribute to the memory of his savior he would always choose a white horse. He always appeared on the battlefield or at parades in a white uniform. It was rumored that the general was charmed by bullets. Skobelev himself, according to some sources, believed that dressed in all white and not a horse of the same color, he would always remain invulnerable to enemies.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev always appeared on the battlefield or at parades in a white uniform and on a white horse // Photo: Defendingrussia.ru
Already in 1863, Mikhail Skobelev became an active participant in the suppression of the Polish uprising, and in 1873 he went on the Khiva campaign, which brought him his first great fame.
Mikhail Skobelev became a generally recognized hero after the Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878. He distinguished himself during the formation of the Danube, the capture of Plevna and other high-profile battles of that war. As the general's biographers note, he always paid attention to his soldiers and cared very much about them. The general emphasized that he owed all his victories to the common soldier and therefore would do everything in his power to make his conditions of service as comfortable as possible. For this, the soldiers loved Mikhail Dmitrievich, which cannot be said about his fellow officers. They were jealous of Skobelev's fame and weaved intrigues around him. So, Mikhail Dmitrievich was accused of embezzling government money, “wrong” political views, and the like.
But despite all this, Mikhail Skobelev continued to remain one of the most respected people in the Russian army.
Political Views
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was an adherent of Slavism and Orthodox values. But on the other hand, he did not like the idea of the need to return to pre-Petrine Rus'. When the struggle for influence in Asia intensified between the Russian Empire and Britain in the second half of the 19th century, Skobelev received an order to capture the Geok-Skobele fortress on the territory of modern Turkmenistan, which he did brilliantly. In addition, he played a key role in the annexation of most of the regions of Turkmenistan to the Russian Empire.
Mikhail Skobelev played a key role in the annexation of most of the regions of Turkmenistan to the Russian Empire // Photo: Pravera.ru
In 1882, Mikhail Dmitrievich was granted an audience with Emperor Alexander III. The enemies of the “white general” hoped that the tsar would besiege Skobelev and their conversation would be very unpleasant, because recently Mikhail Dmitrievich’s political rhetoric had become more acute. He argued that a serious threat awaits Russia, and it comes from the West, namely from Germany. Such speeches caused a stir in Europe and could cause a serious international scandal.
But Mikhail Dmitrievich’s haters were disappointed. After an audience with the king, he further strengthened his own position.
The mysterious death of the “white general”
On June 22, 1882, Mikhail Skobelev went to the England Hotel, where he had an appointment with the famous cocotte Charlotte. At night, a frightened woman ran to the janitor and said that an officer had died in her bed. Thus ended the glorious life of the “white general” Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev.The official cause of death was paralysis of the heart and lungs, but since censorship carefully erased all information about Skobelev’s death from the newspapers of that time, it became overgrown with the most incredible theories.
The official cause of death of Mikhail Skobelev was named paralysis of the heart and lungs // Photo: Ytimg.com
Medical conclusion
According to doctor Skobelev, already during the Turkestan campaign he discovered the first signs of heart failure in the general. As a result of several examinations, the doctor concluded that Mikhail Dmitrievich’s cardiac muscles and his entire cardiovascular system were rather poorly developed. But at the same time, Skobelev never complained about his health, was very hardy and endured long marches absolutely without complaint.By the way, the doctors who performed the autopsy of the “white general” said that his heart looked like the heart of a decrepit flock, although Mikhail Dmitrievich was only 38 years old at the time of his death.
Conspiracy theories
As Prince Dmitry Obolensky, a close friend of Mikhail Dmitrievich, recalls, a couple of days before his death, Skobelev was very gloomy and said that he had no more than three years to live, and also drank a lot. In addition, the general was morally depressed due to the murder of his mother and Emperor Alexander II, whom he treated with great respect.According to one theory, Germany was involved in Skobelev’s death. Mikhail Dmitrievich has repeatedly called for fear of this Western state. What seems ambiguous in her light is that Skobelev died in the rooms of the cocotte Charlotte, who arrived from Austria-Hungary. Although the police later denied the woman’s involvement in the general’s murder, she was given the nickname “Skobelev’s grave” almost until the end of her life.
Contemporaries of Mikhail Dmitrievich did not exclude the possibility that the general was killed on the orders of the tsar. Allegedly, Alexander III feared that the incredibly popular Mikhail Dmitrievich would decide to take the throne himself and succeed in this matter. Adherents of this version are confident that the general’s death occurred after he drank a glass of wine sent from the next room.
These versions are the main ones and have the largest number of adherents. Unfortunately, the true cause of the death of Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev cannot be determined unambiguously, because history knows how to keep its secrets very well. But due to many inconsistencies and strange circumstances, few people doubt that Skobelev’s death is related to the crime.
Historians can only guess and look forward to an opportunity that could reveal new facts that will shed light on the mysterious and sudden death of the “white general.”
Such buckets of oil were poured onto the figure of Mikhail Skobelev, who left early, but made a fair splash, that it is almost impossible to study him impartially using basic sources and biographies. At the same time, through the ideologized iconography, the tragedy of a living, restless man, an honest officer and a careless politician is still visible.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was born in 1843 into a military family. His father Dmitry Ivanovich reached the high ranks of general, and his grandfather Ivan Nikitich, also a general, rose through the ranks of sergeant children, starting with ordinary soldier service in the infantry.
At first, Skobelev went to get an education at St. Petersburg University, where he intended to study mathematics. But just in 1861, after his admission, the university was temporarily closed due to student unrest.
Not wanting to waste time and succumbing to family tradition, Skobelev enlists in military service.
Mikhail Dmitrievich's military career was rapid. Promoted to cornet in the spring of 1863, the very next year he was appointed orderly to General Eduard Baranov in rebellious Poland. At his own request, Skobelev was transferred to the regiment of the Life Guards of the Grodno Hussars, where he received his first baptism in battle - and the first order: Anna 4th degree with the wording “for bravery.”
Next was the General Staff Academy, and in 1868 Skobelev went to Turkestan, to the headquarters of Konstantin von Kaufmann, the future conqueror of Khiva. He repeatedly distinguished himself in reconnaissance missions, for one of them, already in the Khiva campaign of 1873, he received the Order of St. George, 4th degree.
Ten years of career - and thirty-year-old Skobelev is already a colonel, moreover, enlisted in the imperial retinue. At 32 years old - major general. How did this become possible?
Mikhail Dmitrievich was a charismatic, brave and diligent officer, despite the fact that, according to the recollections of his colleagues, in his graduation from the General Staff Academy he did not shine with perseverance and meticulousness, although he was distinguished by a broad outlook that went far beyond the typical army (primary university education affected). However, this alone was not enough.
Of course, Skobelev’s career was strongly supported by his relatives: his father Dmitry Ivanovich, who in 1858-1864 commanded His Imperial Majesty’s Own Convoy (the sovereign’s personal guard, made up of Cossacks and loyal Caucasian highlanders), and then his aunt’s husband, General Count Alexander Adlerberg , in 1869-1881, former Minister of the Imperial Household.
However, one should not draw hasty conclusions from this. Yes, Skobelev would hardly have been able to make such a career alone. But he did not disappear into the court generals - on the contrary, he definitely set himself the goal of standing out everywhere.
Skobel's style was shaped by the Asian War. The difficult, harsh region, which did not forgive mistakes and required special courage, perfectly suited Skobelev’s character. Everything that would make him the idol of the army during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 was laid there, under the command of Kaufman and in communication with experienced officers of Turkestan.
It was from there, from Asia, that Skobelev brought the nickname that stuck to him for the rest of his life: “White General” (“Ak-Pasha”).
He went to the war of 1877 in a not very favorable position: the chief of staff of the Cossack division, commanded by his father. But it was here, in Bulgaria - near Lovcha and Plevna, that Skobelev gained his fame. What especially surprised the soldiers was that their general never hid from enemy fire, even showing off, appearing in the most dangerous areas.
There are plenty of recklessly brave people in any army in the world. But Skobelev was not reckless. Another of his personal characteristics played a role here - a subtle and sharp mind, superbly honed by reading. Even in Turkestan, colleagues recalled that Skobelev’s desk was always littered with books, and he read in several languages and everything: from military history and other works in his specialty to philosophical treatises and academic medical works.
Mikhail Dmitrievich was not only an officer and a patriot, he deliberately built an ideal image of a military leader whom people would follow.
And this is already politics. The charismatic General Skobelev was a politician - moreover, a very risky politician. It is no coincidence that he eventually became an icon of statists and Slavophiles. A sharp opponent of Germany and Austria, Skobelev played the role of protector of the Slavic peoples, and he succeeded in it. As a result, he managed to ride the pan-Slavist sentiments that were rising in those years.
The Empire was already preparing to unite the Balkan Orthodox peoples under the rule of St. Petersburg, and Skobelev corresponded to the idea of the “Cross over Hagia Sophia” like no other.
But he returns to Turkestan to achieve a new resounding victory there. In 1880, he commanded the Akhal-Teke expedition against the rebellious Turkmens. In January 1881, troops under the command of Skobelev, four times outnumbered by the Turkmen, took the Geok-Tepe fortress near Ashgabat. This victory resounded almost louder than Skobelev’s actions in Bulgaria. Another Order of St. George, glory and return to Russia.
In 1882, Skobelev travels abroad and holds a series of speeches in Paris, where he attacks Germany, accusing it of an aggressive policy, and demands to protect the Slavic peoples of the Balkans. This behavior, which provoked an international scandal, caused the highest displeasure. Emperor Alexander III ordered Skobelev to return to Russia.
And then a surprise happened. General Skobelev, a hero of Russia, most popular both in the army and among the population, died at the age of 38 in July 1882.
The circumstances of his death are extremely awkward, although there is nothing strange about it. Skobelev died in a room at the Moscow Hotel Anglia, which was rented by the light-hearted demi-society lady Charlotte Altenrose.
There was nothing particularly compromising about such a visit: Skobelev had been divorced since 1876, his marriage could not be called a great success. Such connections, of course, were not widely advertised, but they were usually not a big secret either. The scandal began later, when Skobelev’s political supporters began to look for reasons behind his death. They blamed either the imperial court and the general's court opponents, or Britain or Berlin, who decided to settle scores with the charismatic defender of the Slavs, disgracing him with the circumstances of his death.
Skobelev’s opponents also did not stand aside, constructing a version of a conspiracy against the throne, in which the general, destined for the role of a super-popular dictator, was allegedly drawn into. They say that in this way the secret police prevented a coup d'état. Let us remember that the times were nervous: in the spring of 1881, Emperor Alexander II was killed by terrorists, the power of his son Alexander III could not yet be called strong, and Skobelev’s connections with Count Loris-Melikov, a well-known supporter of the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, were no secret to anyone.
There were also rumors about the possible suicide of Skobelev, who was either disillusioned with his professed ideals or decided to avoid exposure in this way.
But judging by the results of the autopsy, everything was much simpler. An unhealthy lifestyle, including an abundance of bad habits, wore out Skobelev’s heart. According to the testimony of pathologists, the question was not why Mikhail Dmitrievich died, but rather how he managed to live so long. Heredity further complicated the matter: his father Dmitry Ivanovich died at the age of 59 from the consequences of an organic heart defect.
From the memory of the untimely departed general, politicians quickly made an ideal washed out to a shine, covered with gold leaf. But the falsity came out of this image left and right.
Skobelev belonged to that type of “people out of place and out of time” who remain in history, but their fates rarely turn out smoothly or at least not tragically. A persistent and competent military man who had outgrown the army, he stepped into big politics at a time when the empire was not yet ready to accept a convinced charismatic other than in the role of God’s anointed.
It is no coincidence that there are endless rumors (far from the truth, as far as one can judge) about conspiracies to seize power, in which Skobelev, who was excessively popular among the people and among the military, was allegedly drawn into. This strong man was cramped in the country that he loved more than anything in the world.
Russia has known favorites and all-powerful temporary workers like Menshikov, Biron, Orlov or Potemkin, it has given birth to excellent service apparatchiks like Osterman, Speransky, Arakcheev, Muravyov, Gorchakov or Witte. Even such intellectual ideocrats as Pobedonostsev survived and flourished in it.
But Russia did not have enough of the healthy Russian peasant Skobelev, endlessly convinced of his own rightness and overstrained himself on this.
He went through many wars, but he was not destined to die on the battlefield. His death was experienced as a nationwide grief. On the wreath from the Academy of the General Staff there was a silver inscription: “To the hero Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev - commander Suvorov’s equal.” The peasants carried the coffin of Mikhail Dmitrievich in their arms 20 miles to Spassky, the Skobelev family estate. There he was buried in the church next to his father and mother. In 1912, in Moscow on Tverskaya Square, a beautiful monument was erected to Skobelev using public funds...
General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev
Heroes are not born. They become them. A truth as old as time. But in the entire history of the world there are not many examples that confirm this maxim. Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev can be safely included among these few.
While still a student at the military academy, Mikhail Skobelev was sent 30 miles from St. Petersburg to the shore of the Gulf of Finland to survey the area. Stopping in a small village, where he lived for several months, he was struck by the poverty and misery of the local peasants. Having spent all his salary on buying clothes and shoes for local children, he generously helped the local peasant Nikita, with whom he lived all this time. One day he went into the forest to get some poles and on the way back got stuck in a swamp. A seedy white sivka saved the life of the future hero of Russia. “I take her to the left, and she pulls me to the right,” Skobelev told Nikita, “if I have to ride a horse somewhere, so that I can remember your gray, I will always choose the white one.”
General Mikhail Skobelev on a white horse during the Russian-Turkish War (1877 - 1878). Artist Nikolai Dmitriev-Orenbursky (1883)
Obviously, after this Skobelev developed a mystical addiction to white horses; and the white uniform during the battle was a continuation and completion of the whiteness of his horse. That is why Russian soldiers called Skobelev the “White General”, and in Central Asia and the Balkans - “Ak Pasha”; his mention awed Asian enemies and Turkish Janissaries. Ordinary Russian soldiers treated him with respect and reverence. The staff officers did not like him, they were jealous of his successes, they whispered behind his back that he was a poseur who deliberately flaunted his courage, contempt for danger and death. Vasily Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko, brother of the founder of the Art Theater, who knew the general well, noted that “contempt for death is the best gesture of all the gestures ever invented by people.” Nemirovich-Danchenko wrote: “He knew that he was leading to death, and without hesitation he did not send, but led with him. The first bullet was his, the first meeting with the enemy was his. The cause requires sacrifice, and, having decided the need for this matter, he would not back down from any sacrifice."
At the same time, Skobelev was not a “soldier.” He was an intelligent, interesting, extraordinary person - ironic, cheerful, an excellent debater and a daring reveler. But he devoted himself completely to the main cause of his life - service to the Fatherland. He was an amazing commander and an unusual person who became a true legend during his lifetime.
This year marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. The legendary general and future hero of the Fatherland, the favorite of Russian aristocrats and nobles, ordinary peasants and the army of pre-revolutionary Russia, was born on September 17, 1843 in a military family: he was the first-born of a lieutenant of the Cavalry Guard Regiment, later a participant in the Crimean War, a holder of the honorary golden sword. Mikhail's grandfather, Ivan Nikitich, was an adjutant to Kutuzov himself during the Patriotic War of 1812, rose to the rank of infantry general, was the commandant of the Peter and Paul Fortress and at the same time an original military writer and playwright. The grandfather was the main figure in the home education of his grandson. After his death, the mother of young Skobelev decided to send her son to France, where he studied at a boarding school and mastered several languages. Subsequently, Skobelev spoke eight European languages (French as his native Russian) and could recite large passages from the works of Balzac, Sheridan, Spencer, Byron, and Shelley. Of the Russian authors, he fell in love with Lermontov, Khomyakov, and Kireevsky. He played the piano and sang in a pleasant baritone voice. In short, he was a real hussar - a romantic in the uniform of an officer.
Returning to his homeland, Mikhail entered St. Petersburg University in 1861, but soon family traditions took over, and he petitioned the Tsar to enroll him as a cadet in the Cavalry Regiment. Thus began his military service.
On November 22, 1861, 18-year-old Skobelev, in front of a formation of cavalry guards, took the oath of allegiance to the sovereign and the Fatherland and with zeal began to learn the basics of military affairs. In March 1863, he became an officer, the following year he transferred to the Life Guards Grodno Hussar Regiment, which bore the name of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 Y. Kulnev, where he was promoted to lieutenant. In the memoirs of the officers of the Grodno regiment, he remained “a true gentleman and a dashing cavalry officer.”
In 1866, Skobelev, having passed the entrance exams brilliantly, entered the Academy of the General Staff. This was the heyday of the academy, in which such prominent military scientists as G. Leer, M. Dragomirov, A. Puzyrevsky taught. But studying was not easy for the temperamental officer; he either studied hard, delighting the teachers with his knowledge, or stopped going to lectures, indulging in bachelor parties. He probably would not have been able to complete the academy course if it had not been for Professor Leer, who recognized his exceptional military talents and therefore looked after him with all his attention. At the request of Leer, captain captain Skobelev, upon graduation from the academy, was enrolled in the staff of officers of the general staff.
However, he did not serve there long. At the first opportunity, he asked for the right to participate in combat activities. In 1869, as a representative of the General Staff, he participated in the expedition of Major General A. Abramov to the borders of the Bukhara Khanate. This enterprise was not entirely successful, but it allowed Mikhail Dmitrievich to get acquainted with Asian methods of warfare, which were strikingly different from those used in Poland. What he saw captured the young officer, and from then on Central Asia pulled him towards it like a magnet.
Bust of General Mikhail Skobelev in Ryazan
In 1870, Skobelev received an appointment to the Caucasus, in the detachment of Colonel N. Stoletov, where he showed initiative and energy, sometimes even excessive. It was here that a story happened to him that overshadowed the beginning of his service in Central Asia (the Central Asian theater of military operations was territorially part of the Caucasian Military District). Having begged N. Stoletov for a small batch of soldiers (Ural Cossacks), the young officer went to the Krasnovodsk region, where he carried out a daring and, although successful, reconnaissance in the Trans-Caspian region, which was not part of the command’s plans. The authorities did not like the arbitrariness. In addition, the veracity of the report presented by Skobelev about the many Bukhara bandit gangs he defeated raised doubts, especially since one of the reconnaissance participants - a Ural Cossack - accused Mikhail Dmitrievich of lying.
Subsequently, it became known that the Cossack did this because of personal enmity towards the young officer, who, in his temper, hit him in the face. And although a thorough investigation was carried out, which confirmed Skobelev’s innocence, the story in Bukhara society acquired an ugly connotation and harmed Skobelev’s authority for a long time. Ill-wishers took the opportunity to teach the “St. Petersburg upstart” a lesson. The matter ended with two duels between Mikhail Dmitrievich and officers of the headquarters of Governor General K. Kaufman and the sending of Skobelev to St. Petersburg.
Here Mikhail Dmitrievich took part in the work of the Military Scientific Committee of the General Staff, and then was appointed senior adjutant of the headquarters of the 22nd Infantry Division stationed in Novgorod, with a transfer to the General Staff as a captain. However, such military activity attracted Skobelev little, although on August 30, 1872, he was awarded the rank of lieutenant colonel and transferred to the headquarters of the Moscow Military District. Almost immediately he was seconded to the 74th Stavropol Regiment as a battalion commander. There Skobelev learns about the upcoming Khiva expedition. Using the influence of his uncle, the Minister of the Imperial Court, Adjutant General Count A. Adlerberg, he literally begs for an assignment to Turkestan, where the next (sixth) expedition was being prepared to conquer the Khiva Khanate.
The expedition consisted of four detachments under the overall command of General K. Kaufman. Skobelev was appointed to the Mangyshlak detachment (2140 people) of Colonel N. Lomakin as vanguard commander. For participation in the Khiva campaign of 1873, Mikhail Dmitrievich received his first St. George award - the Order of St. George IV degree, but for what exactly is not entirely clear. It is generally accepted that Skobelev received the order for a brilliantly conducted reconnaissance. The fact is that one of the four detachments, Krasnovodsk, under the command of Colonel V. Markozov never reached Khiva. Skobelev was entrusted with finding out the reasons for this, who, in the course of this task, not only showed personal courage and organizational skills, but also dropped charges against the command of the Krasnovodsk detachment, proving the impossibility of moving along the previously planned path.
Memorial plaque in honor of General Mikhail Skobelev on the commandant's house of the Peter and Paul Fortress
His merits in this reconnaissance were again ambiguously assessed by his contemporaries. However, General Kaufman, having carefully checked the facts, decided to award all ordinary participants with the insignia of the Military Order (St. George's Cross), and presented Mikhail Dmitrievich to the Order of St. George IV degree. Soon the Cavalier St. George Duma, by a majority vote, recognized Skobelev as worthy of being awarded the order. Presenting the order, General Kaufman then said to Mikhail Dmitrievich: “You have corrected your previous mistakes in my eyes, but you have not yet earned my respect.”
In 1874, Mikhail Dmitrievich was promoted to colonel and adjutant, married the Empress's maid of honor, Princess M. Gagarina, but a comfortable family life was not for him. The following year, he again sought to send him to Turkestan, where the Kokand uprising broke out. As part of Kaufman's detachment, Skobelev commanded the Cossack cavalry, and his decisive actions contributed to the defeat of the enemy near Mahram. Then he was instructed, at the head of a separate detachment, to act against the Kara-Kirghiz who participated in the uprising; Skobelev's victories at Andijan and Asaka put an end to the uprising.
Dressed in a white uniform, on a white horse, Skobelev remained safe and sound after the hottest battles with the enemy (he himself, paying tribute to superstition, inspired himself and others that in white clothes he would never be killed). Already at that time, a legend had developed that he was charmed by bullets. For his exploits in the Kokand campaign, Skobelev was awarded the rank of major general, the orders of St. George of the 3rd degree and St. Vladimir of the 3rd degree with swords, as well as a gold saber with the inscription “For bravery”, decorated with diamonds. The first glory came to him.
In April 1877, the Russian-Turkish war began, in which Russia came to the aid of the fraternal Slavic peoples, and Skobelev decided to definitely participate in it. It seemed that he had been waiting for this thing all his life. Nemirovich-Danchenko writes in this regard:
“He was not a Slavophile in the narrow sense - this is undoubtedly. He went far beyond the framework of this trend; they seemed too narrow to him. Our national and Slavic cause was dear to him. His heart lay towards his native tribes. He felt a living connection with them - but This was where his similarity with today's Slavophiles ended. His views on the state structure, on the rights of individual tribes, on many internal issues were completely different. If a nickname is necessary, then he was rather a populist. In a letter I received from his chief of staff General Dukhonin, after the death of Skobelev, by the way, it is reported that in one of the last meetings with him, Mikhail Dmitrievich repeated several times: “We, Slavophiles, need to come to an agreement, enter into an agreement with “Golos” ... “Golos” is right in many respects . This cannot be denied. From our mutual irritations and bickering there is only harm to Russia." He repeated the same thing to us more than once, saying that in such a difficult time as our fatherland is now going through, all people of thought and heart need to unite, create a common slogan for themselves and together to fight the dark forces of ignorance. The deceased understood Slavophilism not as a return to the old ideals of pre-Petrine Rus', but only as serving exclusively his people. Russia for the Russians, Slavism for the Slavs..." This is what he repeated everywhere."
But in St. Petersburg, by that time, an unkind opinion had formed about the young general: envious people accused him of excessive ambition, an “intemperate” lifestyle, and even of embezzling government money. With difficulty, Skobelev achieved an appointment to the Danube Army as chief of staff of the Cossack division (his father commanded it), but soon he was sent to the headquarters of the commander-in-chief, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. When the days of preparation of the Russian army for crossing the Danube arrived, Mikhail Dmitrievich secured his secondment as an assistant to the head of the 14th division M. Dragomirov. The division was tasked with being the first to cross the Danube, and Skobelev’s arrival came at a very opportune time. Dragomirov and the soldiers greeted him as “one of their own,” and he actively became involved in the work of preparing the crossing at Zimnitsa. Skillfully organized, it was successful on June 15, despite strong Turkish resistance.
Folk pictures about the exploits of General Mikhail Skobelev
After the army crossed the Danube, the advance detachment of General I. Gurko moved forward to the Balkans, and on the instructions of the commander-in-chief, Skobelev helped the detachment in capturing the Shipka Pass. By this time, large Turkish forces under the command of Osman Pasha launched a counter-offensive against the main forces of the Russian army and organized a strong defense of Plevna, a strategically important fortress and city. Mikhail Dmitrievich had the opportunity to become one of the active participants in the epic struggle for Plevna. The first two assaults on the city (July 8 and 18), which ended in failure for the Russian troops, revealed serious flaws in the organization of their actions.
Skobelev received little consolation from the fact that during the assault on July 18, the combined Cossack detachment he commanded advanced further than its neighbors, and during the general retreat retreated back in perfect order. In the interval between the second and third assaults, he proposed to capture Lovcha, an important junction of roads leading to Plevna. The “White General” actually led the actions of the Russian detachment that took Lovcha, since the head of the detachment, Prince Imeretinsky, completely entrusted him with carrying out the attack.
Before the third assault on Plevna at the end of August, Skobelev was given command of parts of the 2nd Infantry Division and the 3rd Infantry Brigade. Showing enormous energy and putting everyone on their feet, he and his chief of staff A. Kuropatkin brought their troops into the most combat-ready state. On the day of the assault, Skobelev, as always on a white horse and in white clothes, led the actions of his detachment on the left flank of the advancing troops. His squad went into battle with music and drumming. After fierce battles with the enemy, he captured two Turkish redoubts and broke through to Plevna. But it was not possible to break the enemy in the center and on the right flank, and the Russian troops received the order to retreat.
This battle near Plevna brought Skobelev more fame and made his name better known throughout Russia than all his previous successes. Alexander II, who was near Plevna, awarded the 34-year-old military leader the rank of lieutenant general and the Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st degree.
The sharp increase in Skobelev's popularity was largely due to the eccentricity of his personality and ability to win the hearts of soldiers. He considered it his sacred duty to take care of his subordinates, whom he provided with hot food in any combat situation. With sincere and emotional patriotic slogans and lively appeals to the troops, the fearless general influenced them like no one else. His associate and permanent chief of staff Kuropatkin recalled: “On the day of the battle, Skobelev appeared to the troops every time as especially joyful, cheerful, handsome... The soldiers and officers looked with confidence at his warlike handsome figure, admired him, joyfully greeted him and answered with all their hearts he is “happy to try” to his wishes, so that they are great in the upcoming task.”
In October 1877, Mikhail Dmitrievich took command of the 16th Infantry Division near Plevna. Three regiments of this division were already under his command: Kazan - near Lovcha, Vladimir and Suzdal - during the assault on Plevna. During the period of complete encirclement and blockade of the city, he put his division in order, upset by heavy losses in previous battles. After the capitulation of Plevna, which could not withstand the blockade, Skobelev took part in the winter transition of Russian troops through the Balkans. His order before heading into the mountains said: “We have a difficult feat ahead of us, worthy of the tested glory of Russian banners: today we begin to cross the Balkans with artillery, without roads, making our way, in sight of the enemy, through deep snowdrifts. Don’t forget, brothers "that we have been entrusted with the honor of the Fatherland. Our sacred cause!"
As part of the Central detachment of General F. Radetsky, Skobelev with his division and the forces attached to it overcame the Imetliysky pass, to the right of Shipka, and on the morning of December 28 came to the aid of the column of N. Svyatopolk-Mirsky, who had bypassed Shipka on the left and entered into battle with the Turks at Sheinovo . The attack of Skobelev's column, carried out almost on the move, without preparation, but according to all the rules of military art, ended in the encirclement of Wessel Pasha's Turkish corps. The Turkish commander surrendered his saber to the Russian general. For this victory, Skobelev was awarded a third golden sword with the inscription: “For bravery,” although, according to many, he deserved more.
Bypassing the Turkish positions, Skobelev said: “Scoundrels!”
Who are the scoundrels? - his companions were surprised.
Was it possible to give up such a position?
Yes, and you can’t defend, they went around.
You can’t defend, you can fight, you have to die,” Skobelev concluded.
At the same time, the general, extremely merciless in battle, who in decisive cases accepted only a bayonet attack, without a single shot, in order to see the enemy face to face, taught his soldiers on victorious days: “Beat the enemy without mercy while he holds a weapon in his hands. But "As soon as he surrendered, he asked for amina, he became a prisoner - he is your friend and brother. If you don't have enough, give it to him. He needs it more. He is a soldier like you, only in misfortune."
At the beginning of 1878, Mikhail Dmitrievich was subordinate to the head of the Western detachment, General I. Gurko, and, heading the vanguard corps, ensured the occupation of Adrianople (Edirne). After a short rest, his corps set out for Istanbul (Constantinople), and on January 17 broke into Chorlu, which is 80 kilometers from the Turkish capital. Exhausted, Türkiye sued for peace. The peace treaty signed in San Stefano was quite beneficial for Russia and the Balkan peoples, but six months later, under pressure from the European powers, it was revised in Berlin, which caused a sharply negative reaction from Skobelev.
Monument to General Mikhail Skobelev in Plevna (Bulgaria). Five Bulgarian villages bear the name of the Russian general: Skobelevo (Lovech region); Skobelevo (Haskovo region); Skobelevo (Plovdiv region); Skobelevo (Starozagorsk region); Skobelevo (Sliven region)
By the end of the 70s, the struggle between Russia and England for influence in Central Asia intensified, and in 1880, Alexander II instructed Skobelev to lead an expedition of Russian troops to the Akhal-Teke oasis of Turkmenistan. The main goal of the campaign was to capture the Geok-Tepe fortress (45 kilometers northwest of Ashgabat) - the main support base of the Tekins.
After a five-month struggle with the sands and the courageous Tekins, Skobelev’s 13,000-strong detachment approached Geok-Tepe, and on January 12, after the assault, the fortress fell. Then Ashgabat was occupied, and other regions of Turkmenistan were annexed to Russia. On the occasion of the successful completion of the expedition, Alexander II promoted Skobelev to infantry general and awarded him the Order of St. George, 2nd degree.
***
One of the central boulevards in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, is named after Mikhail Skobelev, and on the wall of one of the houses there is a memorial plaque with the name and image of the general
***
Alexander III, who ascended the throne in March 1881, was wary of the great fame of the “White General”. In turn, Skobelev did not seek to win the trust of the new tsar and allowed himself to say everything he thought about the reigning house, about the politics of Russia and its relations with the Western powers. Fascinated by the ideas of Slavism, Orthodoxy and the rise of national consciousness, he repeatedly and publicly declared the danger threatening Russia from the west, which caused a stir in Europe. The general spoke especially harshly about Germany and the “Teutons.” In March and April 1882, Skobelev had two audiences with the tsar, and although the content of their conversations remained unknown, according to eyewitnesses, Alexander III began to treat the general more tolerantly. Skobelev wrote to his friend General Kuropatkin: “If they scold you, don’t believe it too much, I stand for the truth and for the Army and I’m not afraid of anyone.”
Mikhail Skobelev's worldview was formed several years before the end of his life. Already at the end of the war in the Balkans, he said: “My symbol is short: love for the Fatherland; science and Slavism. On these whales we will build such a political force that we will not be afraid of either enemies or friends! And there is no need to think about the belly, for the sake of these We will make all the sacrifices for great goals." It was in the last years of his life that the general became close to the Slavophiles and especially I.S. Aksakov, who had a significant influence on him, which was noticed by his contemporaries. “Poor man Ivan Sergeevich,” said N.N. Obruchev, you used to convince and reason with the late Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. Well, it seems the man has completely calmed down. And he goes to Moscow, to Aksakov, and returns from there mad.”
But it cannot be said that Skobelev completely succumbed to the intellectual pressure of Aksakov and other theoreticians of Slavophilism. Still, he was a European and did not share even Aksakov’s negative attitude towards Peter’s reforms and Western European parliamentarism. He was a supporter of Loris-Melikov's constitutional project - he turned to him during a period of difficult reflection after an insulting audience in the Winter Palace. He was brought together by Aksakov and the Slavophiles by common views on Russian foreign policy, which they all considered unpatriotic and dependent on external influence. Skobelev formed this conviction after the Berlin Congress, where statesmen of the non-warring European powers dictated their terms to victorious Russia. Skobelev was an ardent supporter of the liberation and unification of the Slavic peoples, but without strict dictates from Russia.
It should be noted that his attitude towards the Slavs was romantic-altruistic, similar to the position of F.M. Dostoevsky. In his “Diary of a Writer,” he wrote about the capture of Geok-Tepe by Skobelev: “Long live the victory at Geok-Tepe! Long live Skobelev and his soldiers, and eternal memory to the heroes who “left the list”! We will add them to our lists.”
Such an assessment of Dostoevsky was of considerable value for Skobelev. And no less valuable and in tune with his worldview was the writer’s foresight regarding the role of Russia in the world.
The writer-prophet Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky wrote about it this way:
“According to my inner conviction, the most complete and irresistible, Russia will not, and never has had, such haters and slanderers and even outright enemies as all these Slavic tribes, as soon as Russia liberates them, and Europe agrees to recognize them as liberated! .. Even the Turks will be spoken of with greater respect than of Russia; they will curry favor with European states, they will slander Russia, gossip about it and intrigue against it... It is especially pleasant for the liberated Slavs to speak out and trumpet the light that they are tribes educated, capable of the highest European culture, while Russia is a barbaric country, a gloomy northern colossus, not even of purely Slavic blood, a persecutor and hater of European civilization...
These people of the earth will forever quarrel among themselves, forever envy each other and intrigue against each other. Of course, in a moment of some serious trouble, they will all certainly turn to Russia for help...
For a long time Russia will have the melancholy and concern of reconciling them, admonishing them and even, perhaps, drawing a sword for them on occasion. Of course, the question now arises: what is Russia’s benefit here, why did Russia fight for them for a hundred years, sacrifice its blood, strength, and money? Is it really because of reaping so much small, funny hatred and ingratitude?.. In order to live a higher life, a great life, to shine the world with a great, selfless and pure idea, to embody and create, in the end, a great and powerful organism fraternal union of tribes, to create this organism not by political violence, not by the sword, but by conviction, example, love, selflessness, light; to finally raise all these little ones to themselves and to raise their maternal recognition - this is the goal of Russia, this is its benefit, if you want. If nations do not live by higher, unselfish ideas and the highest goals of serving humanity, but only serve their own “interests,” then these nations will undoubtedly perish, become numb, weakened and die. And there are no higher goals than those that Russia has set for itself, serving the Slavs, selflessly and without demanding gratitude from them, serving their moral (and not just political) reunification into a great whole.”
...The chief of the Skobelevsky headquarters, Mikhail Dukhonin, later recalled how he once found his commander in an extremely difficult mood. “It’s time to die,” said Skobelev. “One person cannot do more than he can do... I came to the conviction that everything in the world is lies, lies and lies. All this is glory, and all this shine is a lie "Is this true happiness? How many were killed, wounded, suffering, ruined." The white general was deeply worried about those warriors who lost their lives in battle. Referring to his enemies, Skobelev exclaimed: “They think that there is nothing better than leading troops under fire, to death. Not if they saw me on sleepless nights. If only they could see what’s going on in my life.” soul. Sometimes I myself want to die - it’s so creepy, scary, so painful for these meaningful sacrifices."
The general lived less than two months after this conversation. He died under very strange circumstances in the Moscow Dusso Hotel. "Heart palsy" was officially registered. But rumors circulated around the Mother See: some suggested that he was poisoned by Bismarck’s agents, others considered it a political murder, and others saw a love affair behind it. And to this day the secret of his death remains a secret behind seven seals...
General Skobelev repeatedly told his subordinates that he owed his fame, and indeed his whole life, to the Russian soldier. He really respected them, and they paid him the same. Hundreds of stories are told about how during the transitions he dismounted and walked along with his infantry, how he took care of the soldier’s kitchen, about supplying the troops, how, in case of need, he distributed money not only to fellow officers, but also to private soldiers.
The peasants, recent peasants, revered him as one of their own. “He’s ours, he’s Russian,” they said. “His great-grandfather plowed the land. When others talk to us, we don’t understand, but when he speaks, we always understand.”
That’s how he was, an understandable, crystal clear Russian man. His fate, his actions, legends and stories about him amaze with their exceptional integrity and intelligibility. If anyone in our history has created a complete, archetypal, nowhere-divided image of a patriot, it is Skobelev.
Skobelev's funeral resulted in a grandiose public demonstration.
Khitrovo said: “We are burying our banner.” The soldiers echoed him: “You have served our Mother Russia. You are our eagle!”
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Monument to General Skobelev in Moscow. In 1912, in Moscow on Tverskaya Square, a beautiful monument was erected to Skobelev using public funds (!). The author is a self-taught sculptor, Lieutenant Colonel P.A. Samonov. In total, six monuments to the general were erected in Russia before the revolution. In 1918, it was barbarously demolished and destroyed by the Bolsheviks in accordance with the decree “On the removal of monuments to the kings and their servants and the development of projects for monuments to the Russian Socialist Revolution”
***
From the Church of the Three Saints to the station the coffin was carried in their arms. Along the entire movement of the funeral train, right up to Skobelev’s homeland - the village of Spassky, peasants with priests came out to the railway - entire villages, towns with banners and banners came out.
“It would be impossible for us,” said Charles Marvin, a shocked correspondent for the London Times, at the time.
“And it would be impossible for us,” one of his Russian colleagues answered him, “in no way possible, if not for Skobelev.”
...As you know, history does not have a subjunctive mood. It is an empty exercise to build the course of events based on the premise that one or another active participant in the historical process would not have passed away in the prime of life, but would have lived for many more years and given all his unspent strength for the good of his Motherland and his people. However, the tragic death of 38-year-old General Skobelev, for whom both friends and opponents predicted a brilliant future, was so sudden and stunning that in subsequent years, especially during the period of failures that plagued our army and navy during the Russo-Japanese War, many exclaimed: “Oh, if only Skobelev were alive today!”
Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Mikhail Dmitrievich could decisively change the course of all Russian history. There is no doubt that it was he who would have become Minister of War after P.S. Vannovsky. And if this happened, then, probably, Skobelev became commander-in-chief during the Far Eastern campaign of 1904-05. And, of course, he would not have missed victories either at Liaoyang or at Mukden, and would have saved Port Arthur, and the entire campaign as a whole. Then the political situation in Russia would have been completely different and, quite possibly, the country’s development would have taken a more successful course, without the revolutions of 1905 and 1917.
But, alas, history cannot be rewritten, and the Russian troops in this unfortunate war were commanded by, of course, a competent, educated, honest and brave, but very indecisive General A.N. Kuropatkin. Even during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78, M.D. Skobelev told him: “You, Alexey, are a wonderful chief of staff, but God forbid you ever become commander in chief!”
By the way, Alexey Nikolaevich himself soberly assessed his talent as a commander. During his presentation to Emperor Nicholas II on the occasion of his appointment as Commander-in-Chief of all land and naval forces in the Far East, Kuropatkin said to the Tsar: “Only by the poverty of choice can I explain the decision made by Your Majesty.” Of course, you cannot refuse Alexey Nikolaevich honesty and directness.
Moreover, Skobelev’s talent as a commander could come in handy in later years, when on the European continent the tangle of contradictions between the leading powers became so confused and insoluble that a real threat of world war arose. Mikhail Dmitrievich knew very well the nature of the training of the German and Austro-Hungarian armies, their strategy and tactics, strengths and weaknesses. And even if, due to his advanced age, he could not take a direct part in this war, then, undoubtedly, his rich experience would be indispensable in the fight against such dangerous opponents for Russia.
Alexander Kirilin,
Skobelev
Mikhail Dmitrievich
Battles and victories
“Convince the soldiers in practice that you are fatherly caring for them outside of battle, that in battle there is strength, and nothing will be impossible for you,” said Skobelev.And with this conviction he won in Central Asia and the Balkans. The conqueror of Khiva and liberator of Bulgaria, he went down in history under the name of the “white general”.
SKOBELEV MIKHAIL DMITRIEVICH (1843-1882) - an outstanding Russian military leader and strategist, a man of enormous personal courage, infantry general (1881), adjutant general (1878). Participant in the Central Asian conquests of the Russian Empire and the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, liberator of Bulgaria. He went down in history with the nickname “white general” (Turkish Ak-Pasha), which is always associated primarily with him, and not only because he participated in battles in a white uniform and on a white horse.
Why was he called the “white general”?
For different reasons. The simplest one is a uniform and a white horse. But he wasn’t the only one wearing a white general’s military uniform. That means something else. Probably the desire to be on the side of good, not to become impoverished in soul, not to come to terms with the need to kill.
I came to the conviction that everything in the world is a lie, a lie and a lie... All this glory, and all this glitter is a lie... Is this true happiness?.. Does humanity really need this?.. But what, what is this lie worth? , this glory? How many were killed, wounded, suffering, ruined!.. Explain to me: will you and I answer to God for the mass of people whom we killed in battle?
- these are the words of V.I. Skobelev. Nemirovich-Danchenko discovers a lot about the general’s character.
“An amazing life, the amazing speed of its events: Kokand, Khiva, Alai, Shipka, Lovcha, Plevna on July 18, Plevna on August 30, the Green Mountains, the crossing of the Balkans, the fabulously fast march to Adrianople, Geok-Tepe and unexpected, mysterious death - follow one after another, without respite, without rest.” (V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko “Skobelev”).
Early biography and military education
A hereditary military man, he was born in St. Petersburg on September 17, 1843 in the family of Lieutenant General Dmitry Ivanovich Skobelev and his wife Olga Nikolaevna, née Poltavtseva. Having inherited the “subtlety of nature” from his mother, he retained spiritual closeness with her throughout his life. In his opinion, only in the family does a person have the opportunity to be himself.
“Too graceful for a real military man,” he, nevertheless, chose this path from his youth and already on November 22, 1861, entered military service in the Cavalry Regiment. After passing the exam, he was promoted to harness cadet on September 8, 1862, and to cornet on March 31, 1863. On August 30, 1864, Skobelev was promoted to lieutenant.
In the fall of 1866 he entered the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. Upon completion of the academy course in 1868, he became the 13th of 26 officers assigned to the general staff.
Khiva campaign
In the spring of 1873, Skobelev took part in the Khiva campaign, as an officer of the general staff under the Mangishlak detachment of Colonel Lomakin. The purpose of the campaign was, firstly, to strengthen the Russian borders, which were subject to targeted attacks by local feudal lords supplied with English weapons, and secondly, to protect those of them who came under Russian protection. They left on April 16, Skobelev, like other officers, walked. Severity and exactingness in the conditions of a military campaign, and first of all towards himself, distinguished this man. Then, in peaceful life there could be weaknesses and doubts, during military operations - maximum composure, responsibility and courage.
So on May 5, near the well of Itybai, Skobelev with a detachment of 10 horsemen met a caravan of Kazakhs who had gone over to the side of Khiva and, despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, rushed into battle, in which he received 7 wounds with pikes and sabers and could not sit on a horse until May 20. Returning to duty on May 22, with 3 companies and 2 guns, he covered the wheeled convoy, and repelled a number of enemy attacks. On May 24, when Russian troops stood at Chinakchik (8 versts from Khiva), the Khivans attacked a camel train. Skobelev quickly got his bearings, and moved with two hundred hidden, in the gardens, to the rear of the Khivans, overturned their approaching cavalry, then attacked the Khivan infantry, put them to flight and returned 400 camels captured by the enemy. On May 29, Mikhail Skobelev with two companies stormed the Shakhabat Gate, was the first to get inside the fortress and, although he was attacked by the enemy, he held the gate and rampart behind him. Khiva submitted.
Khiva campaign of 1873.
Transition of the Turkestan detachment through the dead sands - Karazin
Military governor
In 1875-76, Mikhail Dmitrievich led an expedition against the rebellion of the feudal lords of the Kokand Khanate, directed against the nomadic robbers who ravaged the Russian border lands. After this, with the rank of major general, he was appointed governor and commander of the troops of the Fergana region, formed on the territory of the abolished Khanate of Kokand. As the military governor of Fergana and the head of all troops operating in the former Kokand Khanate, he took part in and led the battles of Kara-Chukul, Makhram, Minch-Tyube, Andijan, Tyura-Kurgan, Namangan, Tash-Bala, Balykchi, etc. He also organized and, without any particular losses, completed an amazing expedition, known as the “Alai” expedition. Having become the head of the Fergana region, Skobelev found a common language with the conquered tribes. The Sarts reacted well to the arrival of the Russians, but still their weapons were taken away. The warlike Kipchaks, once conquered, kept their word and did not rebel. Mikhail Dmitrievich treated them “firmly, but with heart.”
This is how his stern gift as a military leader first manifested itself:War is war, he said during a discussion of the operation, and there cannot but be losses... and these losses can be large.
Russian-Turkish War 1877-1878
The peak of the career of commander D.M. Skobelev occurred during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the goal of which was the liberation of Orthodox peoples from the oppression of the Ottoman Empire. On June 15, 1877, Russian troops crossed the Danube and launched an offensive. The Bulgarians enthusiastically greeted the Russian army and joined it.
On the battlefield, Skobelev appeared as a major general, already with the St. George Cross, and, despite the incredulous remarks of many of his comrades, he quickly gained fame as a talented and fearless commander. During the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. he actually commanded (being the chief of staff of the Combined Cossack Division) the Caucasian Cossack brigade during the 2nd assault on Plevna in July 1877 and a separate detachment during the capture of Lovchi in August 1877.
During the 3rd assault on Plevna (August 1877), he successfully led the actions of the left-flank detachment, which broke through to Plevna, but did not receive timely support from the command. Commanding the 16th Infantry Division, Mikhail Dmitrievich took part in the blockade of Plevna and the winter crossing of the Balkans (through the Imitli Pass), playing a decisive role in the battle of Sheinovo.
At the last stage of the war, while pursuing the retreating Turkish troops, Skobelev, commanding the vanguard of the Russian troops, occupied Adrianople and, in February 1878, San Stefano in the vicinity of Constantinople. Skobelev's successful actions created him great popularity in Russia and Bulgaria, where streets, squares and parks in many cities were named after him.
Prudent people reproached Skobelev for his reckless courage; they said that “he behaves like a boy,” that “he rushes forward like an ensign,” that, finally, risking “unnecessarily,” exposes the soldiers to the danger of being left without a high command, etc. However, there was no more commander attentive to the needs of his soldiers and more careful about their lives than the “white general”. During preparations for the upcoming transition through the Balkans, Skobelev, who had anticipated such a development of events in advance and therefore did not waste time, developed vigorous activity. As the head of the column, he understood: regardless of the conditions of the transition, everything must be done to protect the detachment from unjustified losses along the way and to maintain its combat effectiveness.
Convince the soldiers in practice that you take fatherly care of them outside of battle, that in battle there is strength, and nothing will be impossible for you
- said Skobelev.
The personal example of the chief and his training requirements became the standard for the officers and soldiers of the detachment. Skobelev sent teams throughout the district to purchase boots, short fur coats, sweatshirts, food and fodder. Pack saddles and packs were purchased in the villages. On the route of the detachment, in Toplesh, Skobelev created a base with an eight-day supply of food and a large number of pack horses. And Skobelev carried out all this with the help of his detachment, without relying on the help of the commissariat and the partnership involved in supplying the army.
The time of intense fighting clearly showed that the Russian army was inferior in quality to the Turkish army, and therefore Skobelev supplied one battalion of the Uglitsky regiment with guns captured from the Turks. Another innovation was introduced by Skobelev. How the soldiers did not curse, each time putting heavy backpacks on their backs! You can’t sit down with such a burden, you can’t lie down, and even in battle it hindered your movements. Skobelev obtained canvas somewhere and ordered the bags to be sewn. And it became easy and convenient for the soldier! After the war, the entire Russian army switched to canvas bags. They laughed at Skobelev: they say, the military general turned into an agent of the commissariat, and the chuckles intensified even more when it became known about Skobelev’s order for each soldier to have a log of dry firewood.
N.D. Dmitriev-Orenburgsky. General M.D. Skobelev on horseback. 1883
Irkutsk Regional Art Museum named after. P.V. Sukacheva
Skobelev continued to prepare the detachment. As subsequent events showed, the firewood was very useful. At a rest stop, the soldiers quickly lit fires and rested in the warmth. During the transition, there was not a single frostbite in the detachment. In other detachments, especially in the left column, a large number of soldiers were out of action due to frostbite.
All of the above made General Skobelev an idol among the soldiers and an object of envy among the highest military ranks, who endlessly blamed him for having too “easy” awards, unjustified, from their point of view, courage, and undeserved glory. However, those who saw him in action could not help but notice completely different qualities. “It is impossible not to note the skill with which Skobelev fought. At that moment, when he achieved decisive success, 9 fresh battalions still remained untouched in his hands, the very sight of which forced the Turks to capitulate.”
Akhal-Teke expedition
After the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. The “white general” commanded the corps, but was soon sent again to Central Asia, where in 1880-1881. led the so-called Akhal-Tekin military expedition, during which he carefully and comprehensively organized the campaigns of his subordinate troops and successfully stormed the Den-gil-Tepe fortress (near Geok-Tepe). Following this, Ashgabat was occupied by Skobelev’s troops.
An ardent supporter of the liberation of the Slavic peoples, Skobelev was tireless, reaching almost to Constantinople, and was very worried about the inability to complete the matter. IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko, who accompanied the general, wrote: “Strange as it may seem, I can testify that I saw Skobelev burst into tears, talking about Constantinople, that we were fruitlessly wasting time and the results of an entire war, not occupying it...
Indeed, when even the Turks erected masses of new fortifications around Constantinople, Skobelev made exemplary attacks and maneuvers several times, occupied these fortifications, showing the full possibility of capturing them without large losses. Once in this way he broke in and occupied the key enemy positions, from which the askers looked at him and did nothing.”
Skobelev M.D.:I directly proposed to the Grand Duke: to occupy Constantinople with my detachment without permission, and the next day let me be put on trial and shot, so long as they don’t give him up... I wanted to do this without warning, but who knows what types and assumptions there are. ..
But Russia was not ready for the brilliant victory that the courage of the soldiers and the valor of such commanders as Skobelev provided it with. The barely nascent capitalism was not ready to fight England and France, to whom Russia lost the Crimean War about 20 years ago. If soldiers become victims of recklessness in war, then entire peoples and states become victims of reckless politicians. The “pan-Slavic unity” that the general hoped for was not born in either the First or Second World Wars.
However, even then, in the late 70s - early 80s of the 19th century, Skobelev was able to discern the future Russian-German front of the First World War and assess the main forms of armed struggle in the future.
Having received a month's leave on June 22 (July 4), 1882, M.D. Skobelev left Minsk, where the headquarters of the 4th Corps was located, to Moscow, and already on June 25, 1882 the general was gone. It was a completely unexpected death for those around him. Unexpected for others, but not for him...
He more than once expressed forebodings of his imminent death to his friends:Every day of my life is a reprieve given to me by fate. I know that I won't be allowed to live. It’s not for me to finish everything I have in mind. After all, you know that I am not afraid of death. Well, I’ll tell you: fate or people will soon lie in wait for me. Someone called me a fatal man, and fatal people always end in a fatal way... God spared me in battle... And people... Well, maybe this is redemption. Who knows, maybe we are wrong in everything and others paid for our mistakes?..
This quote reveals to us a complex, ambiguous, even unexpected character for a military man.
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Postage stamp dedicated to
135th anniversary of the liberation of Bulgaria
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was first and foremost Russian. And how almost every Russian person “carried within himself” the internal discord that is noticeable in thinking people. Outside of battle, he was tormented by doubts. He did not have the calmness “with which the commanders of other countries and peoples send tens of thousands of people to their death, without experiencing the slightest reproach of conscience, commanders for whom the killed and wounded seem only to be a more or less unpleasant detail of a brilliant report.” However, there was no tearful sentimentality either. Before the battle, Skobelev was calm, decisive and energetic, he himself went to his death and did not spare others, but after the battle, according to contemporaries, “hard days and hard nights came for him. His conscience was not soothed by the awareness of the need for sacrifice. On the contrary, she spoke loudly and menacingly. The martyr awoke in triumph. The delight of victory could not kill the heavy doubts in his sensitive soul. In sleepless nights, in moments of loneliness, the commander stepped back and came to the fore as a man with a lot of unresolved issues, with repentance... The recent winner was tortured and executed as a criminal from all this mass of blood he himself had shed.”
Such was the price of his military success. And the “white general” M.D. Skobelev paid it honestly and selflessly, just as honestly and selflessly as he fought for the good of his Fatherland.
Literature
Soviet military encyclopedia. T. 7. M., 1973
History of Russian military strategy. M., 2000
Gubanov E. A. Our Russian miracle heroes and heroes: A. V. Suvorov, M. I. Kutuzov and M. D. Skobelev. M., 1897
Sokolov A. A. White general, Russian folk hero Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev. St. Petersburg, 1888
Internet
Surzhik Dmitry Viktorovich, researcher at the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences
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Denikin Anton Ivanovich
One of the most talented and successful commanders of the First World War. Coming from a poor family, he made a brilliant military career, relying solely on his own virtues. Member of the RYAV, WWI, graduate of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. He fully realized his talent while commanding the legendary “Iron” brigade, which was then expanded into a division. Participant and one of the main characters of the Brusilov breakthrough. He remained a man of honor even after the collapse of the army, a Bykhov prisoner. Member of the ice campaign and commander of the AFSR. For more than a year and a half, possessing very modest resources and much inferior in numbers to the Bolsheviks, he won victory after victory, liberating a vast territory.
Also, do not forget that Anton Ivanovich is a wonderful and very successful publicist, and his books are still very popular. An extraordinary, talented commander, an honest Russian man in difficult times for the Motherland, who was not afraid to light a torch of hope.
Kazarsky Alexander Ivanovich
Captain-lieutenant. Participant in the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29. He distinguished himself during the capture of Anapa, then Varna, commanding the transport "Rival". After this, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and appointed captain of the brig Mercury. On May 14, 1829, the 18-gun brig Mercury was overtaken by two Turkish battleships Selimiye and Real Bey. Having accepted an unequal battle, the brig was able to immobilize both Turkish flagships, one of which contained the commander of the Ottoman fleet. Subsequently, an officer from the Real Bay wrote: “During the continuation of the battle, the commander of the Russian frigate (the notorious Raphael, which surrendered without a fight a few days earlier) told me that the captain of this brig would not surrender, and if he lost hope, then he would blow up the brig If in the great deeds of ancient and modern times there are feats of courage, then this act should overshadow all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy of being inscribed in gold letters on the Temple of Glory: he is called captain-lieutenant Kazarsky, and the brig is “Mercury”
Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich
A prominent military figure, scientist, traveler and discoverer. Admiral of the Russian Fleet, whose talent was highly appreciated by Emperor Nicholas II. The Supreme Ruler of Russia during the Civil War, a true Patriot of his Fatherland, a man of a tragic, interesting fate. One of those military men who tried to save Russia during the years of turmoil, in the most difficult conditions, being in very difficult international diplomatic conditions.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War. Under his leadership, the Red Army crushed fascism.
General Ermolov
Yuri Vsevolodovich
Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich
The great Russian naval commander who won victories at Fedonisi, Kaliakria, at Cape Tendra and during the liberation of the islands of Malta (Ianian Islands) and Corfu. He discovered and introduced a new tactic of naval combat, with the abandonment of the linear formation of ships and showed the tactics of a “scattered formation” with an attack on the flagship of the enemy fleet. One of the founders of the Black Sea Fleet and its commander in 1790-1792.
Grand Duke of Russia Mikhail Nikolaevich
Feldzeichmeister-General (commander-in-chief of the artillery of the Russian Army), youngest son of Emperor Nicholas I, Viceroy in the Caucasus since 1864. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in the Caucasus in the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878. Under his command the fortresses of Kars, Ardahan, and Bayazet were taken.
Stalin (Dzhugashvilli) Joseph
Grachev Pavel Sergeevich
Hero of the Soviet Union. May 5, 1988 “for completing combat missions with minimal casualties and for the professional command of a controlled formation and the successful actions of the 103rd Airborne Division, in particular, in occupying the strategically important Satukandav pass (Khost province) during the military operation “Magistral” "Received the Gold Star medal No. 11573. Commander of the USSR Airborne Forces. In total, during his military service he made 647 parachute jumps, some of them while testing new equipment.
He was shell-shocked 8 times and received several wounds. Suppressed the armed coup in Moscow and thereby saved the system of democracy. As Minister of Defense, he made great efforts to preserve the remnants of the army - a similar task to few people in the history of Russia. Only because of the collapse of the army and the reduction in the number of military equipment in the Armed Forces was he unable to victoriously end the Chechen War.
Prophetic Oleg
Your shield is on the gates of Constantinople.
A.S. Pushkin.
Dovator Lev Mikhailovich
Soviet military leader, major general, Hero of the Soviet Union. Known for successful operations to destroy German troops during the Great Patriotic War. The German command placed a large reward on Dovator's head.
Together with the 8th Guards Division named after Major General I.V. Panfilov, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade of General M.E. Katukov and other troops of the 16th Army, his corps defended the approaches to Moscow in the Volokolamsk direction.
Gagen Nikolai Alexandrovich
On June 22, trains with units of the 153rd Infantry Division arrived in Vitebsk. Covering the city from the west, Hagen's division (together with the heavy artillery regiment attached to the division) occupied a 40 km long defense line; it was opposed by the 39th German Motorized Corps.
After 7 days of fierce fighting, the division's battle formations were not broken through. The Germans no longer contacted the division, bypassed it and continued the offensive. The division appeared in a German radio message as destroyed. Meanwhile, the 153rd Rifle Division, without ammunition and fuel, began to fight its way out of the ring. Hagen led the division out of encirclement with heavy weapons.
For the demonstrated steadfastness and heroism during the Elninsky operation on September 18, 1941, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 308, the division received the honorary name “Guards”.
From 01/31/1942 to 09/12/1942 and from 10/21/1942 to 04/25/1943 - commander of the 4th Guards Rifle Corps,
from May 1943 to October 1944 - commander of the 57th Army,
from January 1945 - the 26th Army.
Troops under the leadership of N.A. Gagen took part in the Sinyavinsk operation (and the general managed to break out of encirclement for the second time with weapons in hand), the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, battles in the Left Bank and Right Bank Ukraine, in the liberation of Bulgaria, in the Iasi-Kishinev, Belgrade, Budapest, Balaton and Vienna operations. Participant of the Victory Parade.
Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich
Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich
General Kotlyarevsky, son of a priest in the village of Olkhovatki, Kharkov province. He worked his way up from a private to a general in the tsarist army. He can be called the great-grandfather of Russian special forces. He carried out truly unique operations... His name is worthy of being included in the list of the greatest commanders of Russia
Kondratenko Roman Isidorovich
A warrior of honor without fear or reproach, the soul of the defense of Port Arthur.
Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich
Commander of the First Cavalry Army of the Red Army during the Civil War. The First Cavalry Army, which he led until October 1923, played an important role in a number of major operations of the Civil War to defeat the troops of Denikin and Wrangel in Northern Tavria and Crimea.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Victory in the Great Patriotic War, saving the entire planet from absolute evil, and our country from extinction.
From the first hours of the war, Stalin controlled the country, front and rear. On land, at sea and in the air.
His merit is not one or even ten battles or campaigns, his merit is Victory, made up of hundreds of battles of the Great Patriotic War: the battle of Moscow, battles in the North Caucasus, the Battle of Stalingrad, the battle of Kursk, the battle of Leningrad and many others before the capture Berlin, success in which was achieved thanks to the monotonous inhuman work of the genius of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
Margelov Vasily Filippovich
Creator of modern airborne forces. When the BMD with its crew parachuted for the first time, its commander was his son. In my opinion, this fact speaks about such a wonderful person as V.F. Margelov, that's it. About his devotion to the Airborne Forces!
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
He was the Supreme Commander-in-Chief during the Great Patriotic War, in which our country won, and made all strategic decisions.
Stessel Anatoly Mikhailovich
Commandant of Port Arthur during his heroic defense. The unprecedented ratio of losses of Russian and Japanese troops before the surrender of the fortress is 1:10.
Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich
Finnish War.
Strategic retreat in the first half of 1812
European expedition of 1812
Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich
The only commander who carried out the order of Headquarters on June 22, 1941, counterattacked the Germans, drove them back in his sector and went on the offensive.
Baklanov Yakov Petrovich
The Cossack general, “the thunderstorm of the Caucasus,” Yakov Petrovich Baklanov, one of the most colorful heroes of the endless Caucasian War of the century before last, fits perfectly into the image of Russia familiar to the West. A gloomy two-meter hero, a tireless persecutor of highlanders and Poles, an enemy of political correctness and democracy in all its manifestations. But it was precisely these people who achieved the most difficult victory for the empire in the long-term confrontation with the inhabitants of the North Caucasus and the unkind local nature
Suvorov, Count Rymniksky, Prince of Italy Alexander Vasilievich
The greatest commander, master strategist, tactician and military theorist. Author of the book "The Science of Victory", Generalissimo of the Russian Army. The only one in the history of Russia who did not suffer a single defeat.
Dokhturov Dmitry Sergeevich
Defense of Smolensk.
Command of the left flank on the Borodino field after Bagration was wounded.
Battle of Tarutino.
Khvorostinin Dmitry Ivanovich
An outstanding commander of the second half of the 16th century. Oprichnik.
Genus. OK. 1520, died on August 7 (17), 1591. At voivode posts since 1560. Participant in almost all military enterprises during the independent reign of Ivan IV and the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich. He has won several field battles (including: the defeat of the Tatars near Zaraisk (1570), the Battle of Molodinsk (during the decisive battle he led Russian troops in Gulyai-gorod), the defeat of the Swedes at Lyamitsa (1582) and near Narva ( 1590)). He led the suppression of the Cheremis uprising in 1583-1584, for which he received the rank of boyar.
Based on the totality of merits of D.I. Khvorostinin stands much higher than what M.I. has already proposed here. Vorotynsky. Vorotynsky was more noble and therefore he was more often entrusted with the general leadership of the regiments. But, according to the commander’s talats, he was far from Khvorostinin.
Kosich Andrey Ivanovich
1. During his long life (1833 - 1917), A.I. Kosich went from a non-commissioned officer to a general, commander of one of the largest military districts of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in almost all military campaigns from the Crimean to the Russian-Japanese. He was distinguished by his personal courage and bravery.
2. According to many, “one of the most educated generals of the Russian army.” He left behind many literary and scientific works and memories. Patron of sciences and education. He has established himself as a talented administrator.
3. His example served the formation of many Russian military leaders, in particular, General. A. I. Denikina.
4. He was a resolute opponent of the use of the army against his people, in which he disagreed with P. A. Stolypin. "An army should shoot at the enemy, not at its own people."
Istomin Vladimir Ivanovich
Istomin, Lazarev, Nakhimov, Kornilov - Great people who served and fought in the city of Russian glory - Sevastopol!
Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich
He was the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Soviet Union. Thanks to his talent as a Commander and Outstanding Statesman, the USSR won the bloodiest WAR in the history of mankind. Most of the battles of World War II were won with his direct participation in the development of their plans.
Chapaev Vasily Ivanovich
01/28/1887 - 09/05/1919 life. Head of the Red Army division, participant in the First World War and the Civil War.
Recipient of three St. George's Crosses and the St. George's Medal. Knight of the Order of the Red Banner.
On his account:
- Organization of the district Red Guard of 14 detachments.
- Participation in the campaign against General Kaledin (near Tsaritsyn).
- Participation in the campaign of the Special Army to Uralsk.
- Initiative to reorganize the Red Guard units into two Red Army regiments: them. Stepan Razin and them. Pugachev, united in the Pugachev brigade under the command of Chapaev.
- Participation in battles with the Czechoslovaks and the People’s Army, from whom Nikolaevsk was recaptured, renamed Pugachevsk in honor of the brigade.
- Since September 19, 1918, commander of the 2nd Nikolaev Division.
- Since February 1919 - Commissioner of Internal Affairs of the Nikolaev district.
- Since May 1919 - brigade commander of the Special Alexandrovo-Gai Brigade.
- Since June - head of the 25th Infantry Division, which participated in the Bugulma and Belebeyevskaya operations against Kolchak’s army.
- Capture of Ufa by the forces of his division on June 9, 1919.
- Capture of Uralsk.
- A deep raid of a Cossack detachment with an attack on the well-guarded (about 1000 bayonets) and located in the deep rear of the city of Lbischensk (now the village of Chapaev, West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan), where the headquarters of the 25th division was located.
Shein Mikhail Borisovich
Voivode Shein is a hero and leader of the unprecedented defense of Smolensk in 1609-16011. This fortress decided a lot in the fate of Russia!
Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich
Full Knight of the Order of St. George. In the history of military art, according to Western authors (for example: J. Witter), he entered as the architect of the “scorched earth” strategy and tactics - cutting off the main enemy troops from the rear, depriving them of supplies and organizing guerrilla warfare in their rear. M.V. Kutuzov, after taking command of the Russian army, essentially continued the tactics developed by Barclay de Tolly and defeated Napoleon’s army.
Ermolov Alexey Petrovich
Hero of the Napoleonic Wars and the Patriotic War of 1812. Conqueror of the Caucasus. A smart strategist and tactician, a strong-willed and brave warrior.
Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich
Colonel, chief of the 17th Jaeger Regiment. He showed himself most clearly in the Persian Company of 1805; when, with a detachment of 500 people, surrounded by a 20,000-strong Persian army, he resisted it for three weeks, not only repelling the attacks of the Persians with honor, but taking fortresses himself, and finally, with a detachment of 100 people, he made his way to Tsitsianov, who was coming to his aid.
Prince Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich
The most remarkable of the Russian princes of the pre-Tatar period of our history, who left behind great fame and good memory.
Antonov Alexey Inokentevich
Chief strategist of the USSR in 1943-45, practically unknown to society
"Kutuzov" World War II
Humble and committed. Victorious. Author of all operations since the spring of 1943 and the victory itself. Others gained fame - Stalin and the front commanders.
Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich
Commander of the 62nd Army in Stalingrad.
John 4 Vasilievich
Khvorostinin Dmitry Ivanovich
A commander who had no defeats...
Svyatoslav Igorevich
I would like to propose the “candidacies” of Svyatoslav and his father, Igor, as the greatest commanders and political leaders of their time, I think that there is no point in listing to historians their services to the fatherland, I was unpleasantly surprised not to see their names on this list. Sincerely.
Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich
Successfully commanded Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War. Among other things, he stopped the Germans near Moscow and took Berlin.
Momyshuly Bauyrzhan
Fidel Castro called him a hero of World War II.
He brilliantly put into practice the tactics of fighting with small forces against an enemy many times superior in strength, developed by Major General I.V. Panfilov, which later received the name “Momyshuly’s spiral.”
Platov Matvey Ivanovich
Military Ataman of the Don Cossack Army. He began active military service at the age of 13. A participant in several military campaigns, he is best known as the commander of Cossack troops during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the subsequent Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. Thanks to the successful actions of the Cossacks under his command, Napoleon’s saying went down in history:
- Happy is the commander who has Cossacks. If I had an army of only Cossacks, I would conquer all of Europe.
Paskevich Ivan Fedorovich
The armies under his command defeated Persia in the war of 1826-1828 and completely defeated Turkish troops in Transcaucasia in the war of 1828-1829.
Awarded all 4 degrees of the Order of St. George and the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called with diamonds.
Romanov Mikhail Timofeevich
The heroic defense of Mogilev, the first all-round anti-tank defense of the city.
Katukov Mikhail Efimovich
Perhaps the only bright spot against the background of Soviet armored force commanders. A tank driver who went through the entire war, starting from the border. A commander whose tanks always showed their superiority to the enemy. His tank brigades were the only ones(!) in the first period of the war that were not defeated by the Germans and even caused them significant damage.
His First Guards Tank Army remained combat-ready, although it defended itself from the very first days of the fighting on the southern front of the Kursk Bulge, while exactly the same 5th Guards Tank Army of Rotmistrov was practically destroyed on the very first day it entered the battle (June 12)
This is one of the few of our commanders who took care of his troops and fought not with numbers, but with skill.
Dubynin Viktor Petrovich
From April 30, 1986 to June 1, 1987 - commander of the 40th combined arms army of the Turkestan Military District. The troops of this army made up the bulk of the Limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan. During the year of his command of the army, the number of irretrievable losses decreased by 2 times compared to 1984-1985.
On June 10, 1992, Colonel General V.P. Dubynin was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation
His merits include keeping the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin from a number of ill-conceived decisions in the military sphere, primarily in the field of nuclear forces.
Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich
A commander who has not lost a single battle in his career. He took the impregnable fortress of Ishmael the first time.
Govorov Leonid Alexandrovich
Vorotynsky Mikhail Ivanovich
“Drafter of the statutes of the watchdog and border service” is, of course, good. For some reason, we have forgotten the Battle of YOUTH from July 29 to August 2, 1572. But it was precisely with this victory that Moscow’s right to many things was recognized. They recaptured a lot of things for the Ottomans, the thousands of destroyed Janissaries sobered them up, and unfortunately they also helped Europe. The Battle of YOUTH is very difficult to overestimate
Dzhugashvili Joseph Vissarionovich
Assembled and coordinated the actions of a team of talented military leaders
Spiridov Grigory Andreevich
He became a sailor under Peter I, participated as an officer in the Russian-Turkish War (1735-1739), and ended the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) as a rear admiral. His naval and diplomatic talent reached its peak during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. In 1769 he led the first passage of the Russian fleet from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the difficulties of the transition (the admiral's son was among those who died from illness - his grave was recently found on the island of Menorca), he quickly established control over the Greek archipelago. The Battle of Chesme in June 1770 remained unsurpassed in terms of loss ratio: 11 Russians - 11 thousand Turks! On the island of Paros, the naval base of Auza was equipped with coastal batteries and its own Admiralty.
The Russian fleet left the Mediterranean Sea after the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace in July 1774. The Greek islands and lands of the Levant, including Beirut, were returned to Turkey in exchange for territories in the Black Sea region. However, the activities of the Russian fleet in the Archipelago were not in vain and played a significant role in world naval history. Russia, having made a strategic maneuver with its fleet from one theater to another and achieved a number of high-profile victories over the enemy, for the first time made people talk about itself as a strong maritime power and an important player in European politics.
Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich
To a person to whom this name means nothing, there is no need to explain and it is useless. To the one to whom it says something, everything is clear.
Twice hero of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front. The youngest front commander. Counts,. that he was an army general - but just before his death (February 18, 1945) he received the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
Liberated three of the six capitals of the Union Republics captured by the Nazis: Kyiv, Minsk. Vilnius. Decided the fate of Kenicksberg.
One of the few who drove back the Germans on June 23, 1941.
He held the front in Valdai. In many ways, he determined the fate of repelling the German offensive on Leningrad. Voronezh held. Liberated Kursk.
He successfully advanced until the summer of 1943, forming with his army the top of the Kursk Bulge. Liberated the Left Bank of Ukraine. I took Kyiv. He repulsed Manstein's counterattack. Liberated Western Ukraine.
Carried out Operation Bagration. Surrounded and captured thanks to his offensive in the summer of 1944, the Germans then humiliatedly walked through the streets of Moscow. Belarus. Lithuania. Neman. East Prussia.
Peter the First
Because he not only conquered the lands of his fathers, but also established the status of Russia as a power!
Osterman-Tolstoy Alexander Ivanovich
One of the brightest "field" generals of the early 19th century. Hero of the battles of Preussisch-Eylau, Ostrovno and Kulm.
Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich
Participant in the Russo-Japanese and First World Wars, one of the main leaders (1918−1920) of the White movement during the Civil War. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in Crimea and Poland (1920). General Staff Lieutenant General (1918). Knight of St. George.
Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich
I beg the military historical society to correct the extreme historical injustice and include in the list of the 100 best commanders, the leader of the northern militia who did not lose a single battle, who played an outstanding role in the liberation of Russia from the Polish yoke and unrest. And apparently poisoned for his talent and skill.
Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich
He defeated the Khazar Khaganate, expanded the borders of Russian lands, and successfully fought with the Byzantine Empire.
Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich
The greatest Commander and Diplomat!!! Who utterly defeated the troops of the “first European Union”!!!
Bennigsen Leonty
An unjustly forgotten commander. Having won several battles against Napoleon and his marshals, he drew two battles with Napoleon and lost one battle. Participated in the Battle of Borodino. One of the contenders for the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army during the Patriotic War of 1812!
Oktyabrsky Philip Sergeevich
Admiral, Hero of the Soviet Union. During the Great Patriotic War, commander of the Black Sea Fleet. One of the leaders of the Defense of Sevastopol in 1941 - 1942, as well as the Crimean operation of 1944. During the Great Patriotic War, Vice Admiral F. S. Oktyabrsky was one of the leaders of the heroic defense of Odessa and Sevastopol. Being the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, at the same time in 1941-1942 he was the commander of the Sevastopol Defense Region.
Three Orders of Lenin
three Orders of the Red Banner
two Orders of Ushakov, 1st degree
Order of Nakhimov, 1st degree
Order of Suvorov, 2nd degree
Order of the Red Star
medals
Kolovrat Evpatiy Lvovich
Ryazan boyar and governor. During Batu's invasion of Ryazan he was in Chernigov. Having learned about the Mongol invasion, he hastily moved to the city. Finding Ryazan completely incinerated, Evpatiy Kolovrat with a detachment of 1,700 people began to catch up with Batya’s army. Having overtaken them, the rearguard destroyed them. He also killed the strong warriors of the Batyevs. Died on January 11, 1238.
Pozharsky Dmitry Mikhailovich
In 1612, during the most difficult time for Russia, he led the Russian militia and liberated the capital from the hands of the conquerors.
Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky (November 1, 1578 - April 30, 1642) - Russian national hero, military and political figure, head of the Second People's Militia, which liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian occupiers. His name and the name of Kuzma Minin are closely associated with the country’s exit from the Time of Troubles, which is currently celebrated in Russia on November 4th.
After the election of Mikhail Fedorovich to the Russian throne, D. M. Pozharsky plays a leading role at the royal court as a talented military leader and statesman. Despite the victory of the people's militia and the election of the Tsar, the war in Russia still continued. In 1615-1616. Pozharsky, on the instructions of the tsar, was sent at the head of a large army to fight the detachments of the Polish colonel Lisovsky, who besieged the city of Bryansk and took Karachev. After the fight with Lisovsky, the tsar instructs Pozharsky in the spring of 1616 to collect the fifth money from merchants into the treasury, since the wars did not stop and the treasury was depleted. In 1617, the tsar instructed Pozharsky to conduct diplomatic negotiations with the English ambassador John Merik, appointing Pozharsky as governor of Kolomensky. In the same year, the Polish prince Vladislav came to the Moscow state. Residents of Kaluga and its neighboring cities turned to the tsar with a request to send them D. M. Pozharsky to protect them from the Poles. The Tsar fulfilled the request of the Kaluga residents and gave an order to Pozharsky on October 18, 1617 to protect Kaluga and surrounding cities by all available measures. Prince Pozharsky fulfilled the tsar's order with honor. Having successfully defended Kaluga, Pozharsky received an order from the tsar to go to the aid of Mozhaisk, namely to the city of Borovsk, and began to harass the troops of Prince Vladislav with flying detachments, causing them significant damage. However, at the same time, Pozharsky became very ill and, at the behest of the tsar, returned to Moscow. Pozharsky, having barely recovered from his illness, took an active part in defending the capital from Vladislav’s troops, for which Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich awarded him new fiefs and estates.
Saltykov Pyotr Semyonovich
The largest successes of the Russian army in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763 are associated with his name. Winner in the battles of Palzig,
In the Battle of Kunersdorf, defeating the Prussian king Frederick II the Great, Berlin was taken by the troops of Totleben and Chernyshev.
Donskoy Dmitry Ivanovich
His army won the Kulikovo victory.
Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich
A man whose faith, courage, and patriotism defended our state
Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich
After Zhukov, who took Berlin, the second should be the brilliant strategist Kutuzov, who drove the French out of Russia.
Ermak Timofeevich
Russian. Cossack. Ataman. Defeated Kuchum and his satellites. Approved Siberia as part of the Russian state. He dedicated his entire life to military work.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
The largest figure in world history, whose life and government activities left a deep imprint not only on the fate of the Soviet people, but also on all humanity, will be the subject of careful study by historians for many more centuries. The historical and biographical feature of this personality is that she will never be consigned to oblivion.
During Stalin's tenure as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the State Defense Committee, our country was marked by victory in the Great Patriotic War, massive labor and front-line heroism, the transformation of the USSR into a superpower with significant scientific, military and industrial potential, and the strengthening of our country's geopolitical influence in the world.
Ten Stalinist strikes is the general name for a number of the largest offensive strategic operations in the Great Patriotic War, carried out in 1944 by the armed forces of the USSR. Along with other offensive operations, they made a decisive contribution to the victory of the countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition over Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.
Margelov Vasily Filippovich
Author and initiator of the creation of technical means of the Airborne Forces and methods of using units and formations of the Airborne Forces, many of which personify the image of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces that currently exists.
General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:
In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified an entire era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces; their authority and popularity are associated with his name not only in our country, but also abroad...
Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov:
Under the leadership of Margelov for more than twenty years, the airborne troops became one of the most mobile in the combat structure of the Armed Forces, prestigious for service in them, especially revered by the people... A photograph of Vasily Filippovich in demobilization albums was sold to soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition for admission to the Ryazan Airborne School exceeded the numbers of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who missed out on exams lived for two or three months, before the snow and frost, in the forests near Ryazan in the hope that someone would not withstand the load and it would be possible to take his place .
Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Pyotr Alexandrovich
Margelov Vasily Filippovich
Izylmetyev Ivan Nikolaevich
Commanded the frigate "Aurora". He made the transition from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in a record time for those times in 66 days. In Callao Bay he eluded the Anglo-French squadron. Arriving in Petropavlovsk together with the governor of the Kamchatka Territory, Zavoiko V. organized the defense of the city, during which the sailors from the Aurora, together with local residents, threw the outnumbered Anglo-French landing force into the sea. Then he took the Aurora to the Amur Estuary, hiding it there After these events, the British public demanded a trial of the admirals who lost the Russian frigate.
Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich
Successes in the Crimean War of 1853-56, victory in the Battle of Sinop in 1853, defense of Sevastopol 1854-55.
Senyavin Dmitry Nikolaevich
Dmitry Nikolaevich Senyavin (6 (17) August 1763 - 5 (17) April 1831) - Russian naval commander, admiral.
for courage and outstanding diplomatic work shown during the blockade of the Russian fleet in Lisbon
Ridiger Fedor Vasilievich
Adjutant General, Cavalry General, Adjutant General... He had three Golden sabers with the inscription: “For bravery”... In 1849, Ridiger took part in a campaign in Hungary to suppress the unrest that arose there, being appointed head of the right column. On May 9, Russian troops entered the Austrian Empire. He pursued the rebel army until August 1, forcing them to lay down their arms in front of Russian troops near Vilyagosh. On August 5, the troops entrusted to him occupied the Arad fortress. During the trip of Field Marshal Ivan Fedorovich Paskevich to Warsaw, Count Ridiger commanded the troops located in Hungary and Transylvania... On February 21, 1854, during the absence of Field Marshal Prince Paskevich in the Kingdom of Poland, Count Ridiger commanded all troops located in the area of the active army - as a commander separate corps and at the same time served as head of the Kingdom of Poland. After the return of Field Marshal Prince Paskevich to Warsaw, from August 3, 1854, he served as Warsaw military governor.
Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich
Participant of the First World War (served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. During the First World War, he fought on the Southwestern Front and took part in the Brusilov breakthrough. In April 1915, as part of the guard of honor, he was personally awarded the St. George Cross by Nicholas II. In total, he was awarded the St. George Crosses of III and IV degrees and medals “For Bravery” (“St. George” medals) of III and IV degrees.
During the Civil War, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German occupiers together with the detachments of A. Ya. Parkhomenko, then he was a fighter in the 25th Chapaev Division on the Eastern Front, where he was engaged in the disarmament of the Cossacks, and participated in battles with the armies of generals A. I. Denikin and Wrangel on the Southern Front.
In 1941-1942, Kovpak's unit carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests to Right Bank Ukraine in the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhitomir and Kiev regions; in 1943 - Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan unit under the command of Kovpak fought through the rear of the Nazi troops for more than 10 thousand kilometers, defeating enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the development of the partisan movement against the German occupiers.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union:
By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 18, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, the courage and heroism shown during their implementation, Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 708)
The second Gold Star medal (No.) was awarded to Major General Sidor Artemyevich Kovpak by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated January 4, 1944 for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid
four Orders of Lenin (18.5.1942, 4.1.1944, 23.1.1948, 25.5.1967)
Order of the Red Banner (12/24/1942)
Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 1st degree. (7.8.1944)
Order of Suvorov, 1st degree (2.5.1945)
medals
foreign orders and medals (Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia)
Eremenko Andrey Ivanovich
Commander of the Stalingrad and South-Eastern Fronts. The fronts under his command in the summer and autumn of 1942 stopped the advance of the German 6th field and 4th tank armies towards Stalingrad.
In December 1942, the Stalingrad Front of General Eremenko stopped the tank offensive of General G. Hoth's group on Stalingrad, for the relief of the 6th Army of Paulus.
Linevich Nikolai Petrovich
Nikolai Petrovich Linevich (December 24, 1838 - April 10, 1908) - a prominent Russian military figure, infantry general (1903), adjutant general (1905); general who took Beijing by storm.
Minikh Christopher Antonovich
Due to the ambiguous attitude towards the period of Anna Ioannovna’s reign, she is a largely underrated commander, who was the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops throughout her reign.
Commander of Russian troops during the War of the Polish Succession and architect of the victory of Russian weapons in the Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739.
Shein Mikhail Borisovich
He headed the Smolensk defense against Polish-Lithuanian troops, which lasted 20 months. Under the command of Shein, multiple attacks were repelled, despite the explosion and a hole in the wall. He held back and bled the main forces of the Poles at the decisive moment of the Time of Troubles, preventing them from moving to Moscow to support their garrison, creating the opportunity to gather an all-Russian militia to liberate the capital. Only with the help of a defector, the troops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth managed to take Smolensk on June 3, 1611. The wounded Shein was captured and taken with his family to Poland for 8 years. After returning to Russia, he commanded the army that tried to recapture Smolensk in 1632-1634. Executed due to boyar slander. Undeservedly forgotten.
Prince Svyatoslav
Rurikovich (Grozny) Ivan Vasilievich
In the diversity of perceptions of Ivan the Terrible, one often forgets about his unconditional talent and achievements as a commander. He personally led the capture of Kazan and organized military reform, leading a country that was simultaneously fighting 2-3 wars on different fronts.
Voronov Nikolay Nikolaevich
N.N. Voronov is the commander of artillery of the USSR Armed Forces. For outstanding services to the Motherland, N.N. Voronov. the first in the Soviet Union to be awarded the military ranks of “Marshal of Artillery” (1943) and “Chief Marshal of Artillery” (1944).
...carried out general management of the liquidation of the Nazi group surrounded at Stalingrad.
Udatny Mstislav Mstislavovich
A real knight, recognized as a great commander in Europe
Duke of Württemberg Eugene
General of the Infantry, cousin of the Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I. In service in the Russian Army since 1797 (enlisted as a colonel in the Life Guards Horse Regiment by Decree of Emperor Paul I). Participated in military campaigns against Napoleon in 1806-1807. For participation in the battle of Pułtusk in 1806 he was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 4th degree, for the campaign of 1807 he received a golden weapon “For Bravery”, he distinguished himself in the campaign of 1812 (he personally led the 4th Jaeger Regiment into battle in the Battle of Smolensk), for participation in the Battle of Borodino he was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 3rd degree. Since November 1812, commander of the 2nd Infantry Corps in Kutuzov's army. He took an active part in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814; units under his command particularly distinguished themselves in the Battle of Kulm in August 1813, and in the “Battle of the Nations” at Leipzig. For courage at Leipzig, Duke Eugene was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. Parts of his corps were the first to enter defeated Paris on April 30, 1814, for which Eugene of Württemberg received the rank of infantry general. From 1818 to 1821 was the commander of the 1st Army Infantry Corps. Contemporaries considered Prince Eugene of Württemberg one of the best Russian infantry commanders during the Napoleonic Wars. On December 21, 1825, Nicholas I was appointed chief of the Tauride Grenadier Regiment, which became known as the “Grenadier Regiment of His Royal Highness Prince Eugene of Württemberg.” On August 22, 1826 he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1827-1828. as commander of the 7th Infantry Corps. On October 3, he defeated a large Turkish detachment on the Kamchik River.
Markov Sergey Leonidovich
One of the main heroes of the early stage of the Russian-Soviet war.
Veteran of the Russian-Japanese, First World War and Civil War. Knight of the Order of St. George 4th class, Order of St. Vladimir 3rd class and 4th class with swords and bow, Order of St. Anne 2nd, 3rd and 4th class, Order of St. Stanislaus 2nd and 3rd th degrees. Holder of the St. George's Arms. Outstanding military theorist. Member of the Ice Campaign. An officer's son. Hereditary nobleman of the Moscow Province. He graduated from the General Staff Academy and served in the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade. One of the commanders of the Volunteer Army at the first stage. He died the death of the brave.
Uvarov Fedor Petrovich
At the age of 27 he was promoted to general. He took part in the campaigns of 1805-1807 and in the battles on the Danube in 1810. In 1812, he commanded the 1st Artillery Corps in the army of Barclay de Tolly, and subsequently the entire cavalry of the united armies.
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich
Personally took part in the planning and implementation of ALL offensive and defensive operations of the Red Army in the period 1941 - 1945.
Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich
Russian admiral who gave his life for the liberation of the Fatherland.
Oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, military and political figure, naval commander, full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, leader of the White movement, Supreme Ruler of Russia.
Rumyantsev Pyotr Alexandrovich
Russian military leader and statesman, who ruled Little Russia throughout the reign of Catherine II (1761-96). During the Seven Years' War he commanded the capture of Kolberg. For victories over the Turks at Larga, Kagul and others, which led to the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace, he was awarded the title “Transdanubian”. In 1770 he received the rank of Field Marshal. Knight of the Russian orders of St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. George 1st class and St. Vladimir 1st class, Prussian Black Eagle and St. Anna 1st class
Generals of Ancient Rus'
...Ivan III (capture of Novgorod, Kazan), Vasily III (capture of Smolensk), Ivan IV the Terrible (capture of Kazan, Livonian campaigns), M.I. Vorotynsky (battle of Molodi with Devlet-Girey), Tsar V.I. Shuisky (battle of Dobrynichi, capture of Tula), M.V. Skopin-Shuisky (liberation of Moscow from False Dmitry II), F.I. Sheremetev (liberation of the Volga region from False Dmitry II), F.I. Mstislavsky (many different campaigns, repulse Kazy-Girey), There were many commanders during the Time of Troubles.
Fedor Ivanovich Tolbukhin
Major General F.I. Tolbukhin distinguished himself during the Battle of Stalingrad, commanding the 57th Army. The second “Stalingrad” for the Germans was the Iasi-Kishinev operation, in which he commanded the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
One of the galaxy of commanders who were raised and promoted by I.V. Stalin.
The great merit of Marshal of the Soviet Union Tolbukhin was in the liberation of the countries of South-Eastern Europe.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev
I would like to understand why some people in Rus' (and in Russia) enjoy special popular love? What qualities must a person have to be worthy of this love?
Such questions also arise when the name M.D. is mentioned. Skobeleva. The facts of his biography alone will not reveal the secret of this general’s popularity among the people. Yes, a hereditary military man. But is this a rare case in our country? Yes, he was brave and brave in battles. But this is not uncommon either. Yes, I knew 8 foreign languages. But some knew more. So why did they love Skobelev so much and still remember him, even though his life was very short: he lived only 38 years?
Let's try to see and understand behind the bare facts of the biography person.
Family
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was born in 1843 in St. Petersburg into a family of hereditary military men: his grandfather was an infantry general, his father was a lieutenant general. M.D. himself Skobelev was an infantry general and then an adjutant general. Despite the fact that Skobelev Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather professionally, spiritually he was very close to his mother, Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva (nee Poltavtseva). She had a very great influence on her son, who saw her as his lifelong friend. Therefore, let's say a few words about this wonderful woman.
Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva (1823-1880)
Portrait of O.N. Skobeleva. Watercolor by V. I. Gau (1842)
She was the middle of the five Poltavtsev sisters. In 1842 she graduated from the Smolny Institute and soon married Lieutenant General Dmitry Ivanovich Skobelev. Their family had four children: the first-born Mikhail and three daughters.
Dmitry Ivanovich Skobelev
Olga Nikolaevna was a secular woman, but in the best sense of the word: she was not only smart and educated, but also knew how to deeply delve into the affairs of her husband and children, living with their interests and concerns. This is how the Russian historian and critic Baron N.N. characterizes it. Knorring: “Olga Nikolaevna was a very interesting woman, with a powerful and persistent character. She loved her only son very much, visited him even on a camping trip, and with her extensive charitable activities supported his policy on the Slavic issue.” After the death of her husband in 1879, Olga Nikolaevna went to the Balkan Peninsula, where she headed the Bulgarian department of the Red Cross Society. She founded an orphanage for 250 orphans in Philippopolis (now Plovdiv), and organized orphanages and schools in several cities. Participated in organizing supplies for hospitals in Bulgaria and eastern Rumelia (the historical name of the Balkans). In the Balkans, Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva was known not only as the wife and mother of glorious generals, but also as a generous philanthropist and courageous woman.
In Rumelia, she wanted to establish an agricultural school and a church in memory of her husband, but did not have time - her life was tragically cut short: on June 6, 1880, she was brutally hacked to death with a saber by a Russian lieutenant, Skobelev’s orderly, captain of the Rumelian police A. A. Uzatis for the purpose of robbery. Non-commissioned officer Matvey Ivanov, who was accompanying Skobeleva, was able to escape and raised the alarm. Uzatis was caught up, surrounded, and he shot himself.
The Philippopolis City Council erected a monument at the site of the murder of Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva. And she was buried in her family estate, in the church.
Monument at the site of the murder of O.N. Skobeleva
The monument is in the form of a pedestal ending with a cross. The pedestal is made of tuff. Its height is 3.1 meters. Inscription: “Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva, born March 11, 1823. You came to us with a high purpose. But a terrible hand has shortened your days. Holy forgive me! Iv. Vazov. Killed by a villain on July 6, 1880. The city of Plovdiv is forever grateful to her.”
Childhood and youth of M.D. Skobeleva
His first teacher was a German tutor, whom the boy hated for his hypocrisy, meanness and cruelty. Seeing how his son was suffering, D.I. Skobelev sent the child to Paris to a boarding house with the Frenchman Desiderius Girardet, who later became a close friend of Skobelev, followed him to Russia and was with him even during hostilities.
Mikhail Skobelev continued his further education in Russia: he entered St. Petersburg University, but the university was temporarily closed due to student unrest. And then Mikhail Skobelev entered military service in the Cavalry Regiment (1861). Thus began his military career. Even before entering the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff, he was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 4th degree, “for bravery,” and in 1864 he observed the theater of military operations of the Danes against the Germans. And after graduating from the Academy, Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was promoted to staff captain and in November 1868 was appointed to the Turkestan district.
M.D. Skobelev in the Khiva campaign
In difficult conditions of the campaign (travel on foot, lack of water, heavy equipment that was beyond the strength of even camels, etc.), Skobelev showed himself to be a skilled commander; he not only maintained perfect order in his echelon, but also took care of the needs of the soldiers, which was very quickly gained their favor: a simple person always appreciates a good attitude towards himself. And I'm always grateful for that.
Skobelev carried out reconnaissance in order to inspect wells and ensure safe progress. There were also clashes with the enemy - in one of them he received 7 wounds with pikes and checkers and for some time could not sit on his horse.
After returning to duty, Skobelev was sent to ruin and destroy Turkmen villages in order to punish the Turkmens for hostile actions against the Russians.
Later, he covered the wheeled convoy, and when the Khivans attacked the camel convoy, Skobelev moved with two hundred to the rear of the Khivans, came across a large detachment of 1000 people, overthrew them on the approaching cavalry, then attacked the Khivan infantry, put them to flight and returned the 400 repelled by the enemy camels.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev
On May 29, General K.P. Kaufman entered Khiva from the south. Due to the anarchy that prevailed in the city, the northern part of the city did not know about the capitulation and did not open the gates; the assault on the northern part of the wall began. M.D. Skobelev stormed the Shahabat Gate, was the first to get inside the fortress, and although he was attacked by the enemy, he held the gate and rampart behind him. The assault was stopped by order of General K.P. Kaufman, who at that time was peacefully entering the city from the opposite side.
So Khiva submitted. The goal of the campaign was achieved, but one of the detachments, Krasnovodsk, never reached Khiva. To find out the reason, Skobelev decided to carry out reconnaissance. This was a very dangerous task, because... the terrain was alien, they could be attacked at every step. Skobelev with five horsemen, among whom there were 3 Turkmens, set out on reconnaissance. Having stumbled upon the Turkmen, he barely escaped, but realized that there was no way to break through. Skobelev returned, having covered 640 km in 7 days. For this reconnaissance and report, Skobelev was awarded on August 30, 1873 the Order of St. George, 4th degree.
Vacation in the winter of 1873-1874. Skobelev spent in southern France. There he learned about the internecine war in Spain, made his way to the location of the Carlists (a political party in Spain, it still exists, but no longer plays a serious role in politics) and was an eyewitness to several battles.
On February 22, 1874, Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev was promoted to colonel, and on April 17 he was appointed adjutant and was included in the retinue of His Imperial Majesty.
In September 1874, Skobelev participated in the Perm region in the implementation of the order on military service.
And again Central Asia
Returning to Tashkent in April 1875, Skobelev took up a new position - head of the military unit of the Russian embassy sent to Kashgar through Kokand. The ruler of Kokand, Khudoyar Khan, was on the side of the Russians, but was too cruel and selfish, and in July 1875 he was deposed and fled to Russian borders. The Russian embassy followed him, which was covered by Skobelev with 22 Cossacks. Thanks to his talent, caution and caring attitude towards the people entrusted to him, they reached Khojent without a single fight and without the use of weapons at all. But at the beginning of August, Kokand troops invaded Russian borders and besieged Khojent, where Skobelev was sent to clear the outskirts of Tashkent from the enemy. Soon the main forces of General Kaufman approached Khojent; Skobelev was appointed chief of the cavalry.
Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev
In this battle, Mikhail Dmitrievich showed himself to be a brilliant cavalry commander, the Russian troops won a convincing victory, although Skobelev himself was wounded in the leg. An agreement was concluded with Nasreddin, according to which Russia acquired the territory north of the Syr Darya, which formed the Namangan department.
But the Kipchak and Kyrgyz population of the Khanate did not want to admit that they were defeated and were preparing to resume the fight. On the night of October 5, with 2 hundreds and a battalion, Skobelev carried out a swift attack on the Kipchak camp, for which on November 18 he was promoted to major general. He was ordered to “act strategically defensively,” that is, without going beyond the boundaries of the possessions of the Russian Empire.
However, Skobelev was never afraid to take the initiative into his own hands. And here he did the same. The Kokand people did not give up trying to cross the border, so a small war was constantly taking place here. Skobelev resolutely suppressed attempts to cross the border: he defeated Batyr-tyur’s detachment at Tyurya-kurgan, then went to the aid of the Namangan garrison, and on November 12 defeated up to 20,000 enemies at Balykchy. It was necessary to put an end to this. Kaufman ordered Skobelev to move to Ike-su-arasy in winter and defeat the Kipchaks and Kyrgyz wandering there. Skobelev set out from Namangan on December 25, with 2,800 men, 12 guns, a rocket battery and a convoy of 528 carts at his disposal. The Kipchaks avoided the battle, not offering worthy resistance.
On January 1, 1876, Skobelev crossed to the left bank of the Kara Darya, made thorough reconnaissance of the outskirts of the city, and on January 8, after an assault, captured Andijan. By February 19, the Kokand Khanate was completely conquered by the Russian Empire, the Fergana region was formed here, and on March 2, Skobelev was appointed military governor of this region and commander of the troops. For this campaign, 32-year-old Major General Skobelev was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd degree with swords and the Order of St. George, 3rd degree, as well as a gold sword with diamonds with the inscription “for bravery.”
Medal in honor of the conquest of the Kokand Khanate
How was the hero greeted in St. Petersburg?
Having become the head of the Fergana region, Skobelev found a common language with the conquered tribes; elders came to him almost everywhere with an expression of submission.
But there was something that the military elite of that time did not like (however, just as today’s elite would not like): as the head of the region, Skobelev especially fought against embezzlement, which made him many enemies. Denunciations against him with serious accusations were sent to St. Petersburg, which were not confirmed, but on March 17, 1877, Skobelev was removed from the post of military governor of the Fergana region.
Russian society was very unfriendly and distrustful of those who showed themselves in battles and campaigns against “ negligers" Many considered Skobelev an upstart, whose milk had not yet dried on his lips, and he had already received such high military awards. Common human envy, the desire to humiliate others who are more worthy but do not want to join their community. M.D. Skobelev showed himself in action, and not in cabinet battles. He was a stranger among them, and was distinguished not only by his extraordinary courage, but also by his humane attitude towards his subordinates and his general erudition.
Many believed that his success in Asia came by chance.
An eyewitness and participant in those events, Vasily Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko, speaks well about this (not to be confused with Vladimir Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko, a famous theater figure - this is his older brother).
Vasily Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko
Vasily Ivanovich Nemirovich-Danchenko was a war correspondent during the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878. (took part in hostilities and was awarded the soldier's St. George Cross), the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Balkan Wars of the First World War of 1914-1918. Unlike his brother, Vasily Nemirovich-Danchenko did not accept the revolution and emigrated. Since 1921 he has lived first in Germany, then in Czechoslovakia. In the preface to his book “Skobelev”, he notes that he sought to write not a biography of the general, but “a series of memoirs and passages written under the vivid impression of the bereavement of this wonderful man. Between them there are sketches that may be found too small. It seemed to me that in such a complex character as Skobelev, every detail should count.”
IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko writes: “Even then they envied him, envied his youth, his early career, his George on his neck, his knowledge, his energy, his ability to deal with subordinates... Deep-minded turkeys who gave birth to every most consumptive idea with the painful attempts of a pregnant woman , did not understand this active mind, this ever-working laboratory of thoughts, plans and assumptions...
Skobelev studied and read under the most sometimes impossible conditions. At bivouacs, on the march, in Bucharest, on the ramparts of batteries under fire, during the intervals of a hot battle... He did not part with the book - and shared his knowledge with everyone. Being with him meant the same thing as learning on your own. He told the officers around him about his conclusions, ideas, consulted with them, entered into disputes, listened to every opinion. He looked at them and distinguished his future employees. The current chief of staff of the 4th Corps, General Dukhonin, by the way, characterized Skobelev this way:
“Other talented generals Radetzky and Gurko take only part of a person; they will not be able to take advantage of all his strengths and abilities. Skobelev, on the contrary... Skobelev will take everything that his subordinate has, and even more, because he will force him to go forward to improve, to work on himself...
He somehow rides in a stroller. The heat is unbearable, the sun is burning... He sees a soldier barely hobbling ahead, almost bending under the weight of his backpack...
- What, brother, is it difficult to walk?
- It’s difficult, yours...
- It’s better to go... The general is coming over there, dressed lighter than you, and you’re going with a backpack, this is not order... It’s not order, is it?
The soldier hesitates.
- Well, sit down with me...
The soldier hesitates... is he joking or something, the general...
- Sit down, they tell you...
The overjoyed Kirilka (that’s what we called the short army men) climbs into the stroller...
- Well, okay?
- Wonderful, yours.
- If you rise to the rank of general, you will ride the same way.
- Where are we?
- Yes, my grandfather started out as a soldier and ended up as a general... Where are you from?
And questions begin about the family, about the homeland...
The soldier gets out of the carriage, idolizing the young general, his story is transmitted throughout the regiment, and when this regiment falls into the hands of Skobelev, the soldiers no longer only know, but also love him ... "
They say that Skobelev never took his salary. It always went to various charitable causes, sometimes, according to some, petty ones, but Skobelev did not regard the requests addressed to him that way.
He instilled self-esteem in the soldiers, but at the same time demanded iron discipline. Having once found a colleague beating an ordinary soldier, he shamed him and said: “... As for the stupidity of a soldier, you don’t know them well... I owe a lot to the common sense of soldiers. You just need to be able to listen to them...”
But with each new feat, hostility towards him in the headquarters also grew. His comrades could not forgive him for such an easy success, in their opinion, such love from the soldiers, such luck in the war... Trying to denigrate him, they attributed to him cowardice, a desire for self-promotion, I don’t even want to repeat everything that befalls almost every talented and original person .
Often he was deceived even by those he helped. But Skobelev never took revenge on anyone, always trying to justify someone else’s action with the weakness of human nature.
He loved and understood the joke. He was not offended by witty attacks directed at himself. But, as Nemirovich-Danchenko notes, all this was appropriate for him in his free time. When it came to service, it was rare to find a person more demanding than him. And it couldn’t have been stricter than Skobelev.
Now let's talk about Akhal-Teke expedition.
N.D. Dmitriev-Orenburgsky “General M.D. Skobelev on horseback” (1883)
Akhal-Teke expedition
In January 1880, Skobelev was appointed commander of a military expedition against the Tekins. Tekins are one of the largest tribal groups within the Turkmen people.
According to Skobelev’s plan, it was necessary to deal a decisive blow to the Tekin Turkmen who inhabited the Ahal-Teke oasis. The Tekins, having learned about this, decided to move to the Dengil-Tepe (Geok-Tepe) fortress and defend only this point. There were 45 thousand people in the fortress, of which 20-25 thousand were defenders; 5 thousand rifles, many pistols, 1 gun and 2 zembureks. The Tekins usually made forays at night and caused considerable damage.
Skobelev himself walked the whole way, checked all the wells and roads and then returned back to his troops. Then the assault began.
The assault on the fortress took place on January 12, 1881. At 11:20 a.m. a mine exploded. The eastern wall fell and created a landslide. After a long battle, the Tekins fled, Skobelev pursued the retreating enemy for 15 miles. Russian losses amounted to 1,104 people, and they captured up to 5 thousand women and children, 500 Persian slaves and booty valued at 6 million rubles.
Akhal-Teke expedition 1880-1881. is a first-class example of military art. Skobelev showed what Russian troops are capable of. As a result, in 1885, the Merv and Pendinsky oases of Turkmenistan with the city of Merv and the Kushka fortress voluntarily became part of the Russian Empire. At the same time, his mother, Olga Nikolaevna Skobeleva, was killed by a man whom he knew well from the Balkan War. Then came another blow: Emperor Alexander II died as a result of a terrorist attack.
In his personal life, Skobelev was not happy. He was married to Princess Maria Nikolaevna Gagarina, but soon divorced her.
On January 14, Skobelev was promoted to infantry general, and on January 19 he was awarded the Order of St. George 2nd degree. On April 27, he went to Minsk, where he trained troops.
Death of General M.D. Skobeleva
It still causes a lot of talk today. It is officially recognized that General Skobelev died of a broken heart in Moscow, where he came on vacation, on June 25, 1882. He stayed at the Dusso Hotel. Upon arrival in Moscow, Skobelev met with Prince D. D. Obolensky, who notes in his memoirs that the general was not in good spirits, did not answer questions, and if he did answer, it was somehow abrupt. It was clear that he was alarmed about something. On June 24, Skobelev came to I.S. Aksakov, brought a bunch of documents and asked to keep them, saying: “I’m afraid that they will be stolen from me. For some time now I have become suspicious.”
Late at night, one of the girls of easy virtue ran to the janitor and said that an officer had suddenly died in her room. The deceased was immediately identified as Skobelev. The police arrived and transported Skobelev’s body to the Dusso Hotel, where he was staying. Around the news of the death of General Skobelev, rumors and legends grew like a snowball, continuing to this day. They even said that it was an act of suicide. The majority was inclined to believe that “Skobelev was killed,” that the “white general” fell victim to German hatred. The presence of a “German woman” at his death (Charlotte Altenrose, and according to other sources her names were Eleanor, Wanda, Rose) gave these rumors greater credibility. There was an opinion that “Skobelev fell victim to his convictions, and the Russian people have no doubt about it.”
They say that M.D. Skobelev foresaw his imminent death. In the last months of his life, he became very irritable, often started talking about the fragility of life, began selling securities, gold jewelry and real estate, and drew up a will, according to which the Spassky family estate was to be transferred to the disposal of war invalids.
Among the letters that came to him, anonymous letters with threats began to appear more and more often. Who wrote them and why is still unknown.
Skobelev's death came as a bolt from the blue for many, many Russian people. She shocked all of Moscow. Emperor Alexander III sent a letter to his sister Nadezhda Dmitrievna with the words: “I am terribly shocked and saddened by the sudden death of your brother. The loss for the Russian army is difficult to replace and, of course, greatly mourned by all true military men. It’s sad, very sad to lose such helpful and dedicated people.”
A military general who has gone through so many wars! He was only 38 years old. The poet Ya. Polonsky wrote:
Why are people standing in a crowd?
What is he waiting for in silence?
What is the grief, what is the bewilderment?
It was not a fortress that fell, not a battle
Lost, Skobelev has fallen! gone
The force that was more terrible
The enemy has ten fortresses...
The strength that the heroes
Reminded us of fairy tales.
Many knew him as a man of encyclopedic knowledge, original thinking, and creative. The young men saw in Skobelev an example of a hero who personified devotion to the fatherland and loyalty to his word. For everyone who was sincerely interested in the prosperity of Russia, Skobelev was the hope for the implementation of political reforms. In their eyes, he became a leader worthy of leading the people.
Skobelev was buried in his family estate, the village of Spassky-Zaborovsky, Ryazhsky district, Ryazan province (currently the village of Zaborovo, Aleksandro-Nevsky district, Ryazan region), next to his parents, where during his lifetime, anticipating his death, he prepared a place. Currently, the remains of the general and his parents have been transferred to the restored Spassky Church in the same village.
Before the revolution, 6 monuments to General M.D. Skobelev were erected on the territory of the Russian Empire, but none of them have survived to this day.
Monument to Skobelev in Moscow
The monument in Moscow was unveiled on June 24, 1912. On May 1, 1918, it was demolished in pursuance of the decree “On the removal of monuments to the kings and their servants.” On the site of the monument, in the same 1918, a monument to the Soviet constitution was erected, in 1919 it was supplemented with the Statue of Liberty and existed until 1941, and in 1954 a monument to Yuri Dolgoruky was erected.
The design of the monument was created by retired Lieutenant Colonel P. A. Samonov. Constructed from Finnish granite, it was a very expressive and unique monument in an engineering sense: the composition of a rider on a horse had only two supports - the hind legs of the horse (in Russia there was another similar monument - the equestrian monument to Nicholas I in St. Petersburg by P.K. Klodt). On either side of the figure of the “white general” stood sculptural groups of loyal soldiers; bas-reliefs depicting episodes of the Russian-Turkish War were placed in the niches.
Recently, the question of perpetuating the memory of General Skobelev was raised again. The Modern Society Foundation initiated the collection of signatures in support of the restoration of the monument to the “white general” - Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev.
But why was Skobelev called the “white general”?
In battle, he was always ahead of the army in a white jacket on a white horse. Ak-Pasha (white general) was called his enemies. But many contemporaries noticed Skobelev’s strange predilection for the color white. The artist V.V. Vereshchagin explained it this way: “He believed that he would be more unharmed on a white horse than on a horse of a different color, although at the same time he believed that you could not escape fate.”
There is a legend that, while still a student at the military academy, he photographed the area on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. Returning, he got stuck in a swamp. The old white horse saved the life of Mikhail Dmitrievich: “I take it to the left, it pulls me to the right. If I have to ride a horse somewhere, so that I remember this white one, I will always choose a white one.”
Perhaps after this incident Skobelev developed a mystical addiction to white horses. And the white uniform was, as it were, a continuation of the whiteness of his horse. Skobelev believed that wearing white he was charmed from bullets and could not be killed by the enemy. Very often, only skillful handling of a horse and a saber saved him from death - he was wounded seven times in battles.
Bust of Skobelev in Ryazan